A Better Tomorrow
by I-am-the-survivor
Summary: Melinda's lost everything. Now Andrew's telling her that they've found a cure to it all. A way to stop all of the pain and suffering. And her name is Daisy. (The Last of Us AU)
1. Chapter 1

_**I'm so glad I finally got to this! Now, this is an AU based off of the game The Last of Us. So expect zombies, depiction of violence, and a lot of death. I have been planning this AU for a month now but I finally got to it now that I have my own laptop. If you've already played/watched someone play The Last of Us, I'm begging you, keep spoilers to yourself. I really hope you enjoy this cause this will be a part of a multi-chapter series. There will be philinda fear not kiddies. Just not yet. Enjoy!**_

 _ **November 20, 1996**_

 _The body in front of Melinda slumps over dead, impaled by the piece of rubble she had stabbed them in the abdomen with. Melinda allows herself to breathe easy for a moment. There had been whispers of plans for a terrorist attack from Bahrain. Her and her team were chosen to meet their correspondent and get the information off the attack. Little did they know they had walked right into a trap, their supposed correspondent fleeing into a building and some goons taking a child hostage in the meantime. The locals looked hesitant to fight, only being controlled by their leader who was now dead on the floor. Except the men didn't stop. They continued to loom ominously towards her. Her pistol was out of range and she had a gaping bullet hole in her leg._

" _She's dead." She growls trying to push herself up. "Snap out of it!" As she's pulling herself to her knees she hears a small voice call out in the silence._

" _I like the pain." Her blood runs cold as her eyes fall on the hostage. The little girl stalks out from behind the rubble from where she was hiding. When she saw what was strapped to her chest Melinda's heart lept to her throat. A pipe bomb was strapped to her chest with the trigger in her small hands. So that's why they were doing this… "You killed mother." She lets out a small whine. "And now there's so much pain." Eerily, she glances back and forth to the terrified men. "I like all their pain." Suddenly, the girl's face twists to mock their expressions. It's almost convincing in a childish broken way. "I'm scared. I want to leave… Please. Take my hand." Her hand that isn't fiddling with the trigger extends towards her._

 _Briefly the expression changes again as her head turns towards her own agents. They too had become hostages after they weren't able to defeat the mother. "No. Not them." Melinda begs calling the girl's attention back to her. "Let them go!" Again, the girl walks numbingly towards her. "We can fix this. We can help." She offers, scooting back. "Just… don't."_

 _The girl's eyes almost light up at the notion. A grin spreads menacingly across her face. "Take my hand. Give me your pain. I need a new mother." Melinda feels the bile rise in the back of her throat. "I can take your pain." She whispers when suddenly Melinda's fingers collide with cool metal. Realization pours over her like ice chilling down her spine._

" _Stop." She begs. "Don't…" Her voice breaks in her throat as her new plan settles over her. "Just… put your hand down… and stop." Yet the girl continues to press towards her. She doesn't have a choice. Melinda's fingers grip the pistol as her training kicks in. "Everything's going to be alright."_

"Mom!"

Melinda shoots awake covered head to toe in cold sweat. Her daughter sits at the edge of her bed, wide eyed and worried. "Bobbi…" She whispers wiping her eyes of the sleep that had held her captive in her memories. "What's wrong?"

"You were whimpering in your sleep again."

"Bob…" She sighs. "What did I tell you about waking me up when I'm having nightmares?"

"Not to?" The blonde asks raising one eyebrow. Melinda almost cracks a smirk at the not so innocent look spreading across her face.

"I could hurt you Bobbi. It's happened before."

"With Maria. I know." Bobbi sighs. "That's not my only reason though. I've got a surprise."

"Why does that make me more nervous than you waking me during my nightmares?" Melinda teases lightly.

"Ha ha." Bobbi rolls her eyes hopping off the edge of the bed. "It's in the living room."

"Fine. Let me get changed." Melinda states sitting up.

"Deal." Bobbi smiles scampering out of the room.

Melinda smiles to herself as she pushes herself out of bed. She should be wondering why Bobbi is awake at three in the morning but she shrugs off the thought. Ever since Phil had convinced her to come to the CIA with him her life had seemed to be changing with every spin. She had taken honorable discharge from the military after Bahrain but then Phil had waltzed in with a smile to her office one day and her life had been flipped upside down since. One mission in particular had her inspecting the case of a serial killer who killed families when least expecting it.

They had finally caught up with the man when he had already chosen his next victims. They were a well off family, martial arts trophies lining the walls. It was almost a surprise to see both parents and the older brother slumped over dead. They had put up a fight, however. Glass littered the floor and the murderer was heavily bleeding. He pointed his gun towards Phil and Melinda shot him between the eyes, without hesitation.

They were about to leave when they heard quick footsteps. A thirteen year old blonde ran out clutching a shotgun and screaming. It was the daughter of the victims, too late to save her family. Melinda's heart ached as the girl collapsed on the ground in tears.

Her name was Bobbi Morse.

In the end it was Maria's suggestion that she take the girl in. Bobbi had turned out to be like her in more ways than one. Maria had spread out an entire history of the girl in front of her while she was doing paperwork just to prove her point. From the multiple martial arts awards to the school record for sneaking around, she had a point.

Now here she was two years later. Melinda almost smiles again as Bobbi spies her walking into the room. Clutched in her hands is a small gift. She should've known. Of all people, she wouldn't forget. Her and Phil that is.

"Happy birthday!" Bobbi exclaims thrusting the gifts into her hands once she's sitting on the couch.

"You woke me up at 2 in the morning to give me my birthday gift?"

"Well you know your schedule. For all I know you could be called out in the middle of dinner." Bobbi frowns. "This is the time where you're exclusively mine."

"Fine but you're making the tea."

"Already on the oven." Bobbi smiles proudly. "Now open it." Melinda rolls her eyes tearing open the intricate wrapping. Lying inside was a brand new watch. The entire thing was black aside from the hands and the etches where the numbers would be. Something she could even wear out in the field. "So you won't be late."

The statement had almost become a joke between the two of them. Melinda had kept Bobbi in martial arts and even trained with her a few times. She allowed the girl to do it competitively when approached at the gym by an instructor. Melinda went to the ones she could make it to but her job didn't make it easy. One day she had ran in just as Bobbi had pinned her opponent. From then on the joke jumped between the two of them as a reminder.

"So do you like it?"

Melinda hesitates looking back and forth between the watch and Bobbi. "Bob this is… It's nice but…" She taps on the glass before putting the watch to her ear. "I think it's stuck. It's not-"

"What no!" Bobbi cries out snatching the watch away to examine it. Melinda can't help the smile from breaking onto her face this time as realization flashes in the young girl's eyes. "Very funny." She groans laying down on the couch.

"Where did you get the money for this?"

"Drugs." Bobbi says without hesitation. "I sell hardcore drugs."

"Oh, good." She shoots back without hesitation. "You can start helping out with the mortgage then."

Bobbi clicks her tongue. "You wish."

It isn't long before Melinda can hear the soft snoring of the girl by her side. As gently as she can she lifts her carrying her back to her room. Softly she places a kiss on her forehead before going to grab a cup of tea.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Bobbi jolts awake suddenly from the ringing of the phone. Groggily she reaches over to pick it up. "Hello?"

"Bobbi? Sweetheart I need you to go get your mom." The voice says urgently

"Aunt Maria?" She sits up suddenly. "What's wrong?"

"I need to talk to your mom now. There's some-" Her voice cuts off with a bang and the line goes dead. Bobbi scrambles out of bed running towards Melinda's room as fast as she can. Her heart drops when she realizes the room is empty. The tv is still on the news, the lady's face blown up on the screen.

" _It appears that what we initially reported as riots; seem to be somehow connected to the nationwide pandemic."_

"Where are you?" Bobbi asks herself, seeing the flames in the background behind the lady.

" _We've received reports that victims afflicted with the infection show signs of increased aggression and-"_

" _We need to move everybody out of here now. There's a gas leak."_ A voice states in the background, then a more panicked. " _Hey move!"_

" _There's some commotion coming from beh-"_

" _Get out of here! Lady, get the hell out of here right-"_

A loud boom interrupts as the screen goes white. Bobbi startles looking towards where the sound had stemmed from. From the window she has a view of the city and a ball of fire erupts from the ground.

"Shit." Bobbi's heart jumps to her throat as she sprints downstairs. Cops rush by the window as she slides into the kitchen. The only evidence of her mother's presence was her phone and an abandoned cup of tea that lie on the counter next to one another. Sure enough the phone is lit up with 22 missed calls from Maria.

"Where the hell are you… Call me… On my way." She reads out loud the texts. What could be so urgent that Aunt Maria is coming over at four in the morning? She pushes towards the office when Melinda bursts in from the backyard slamming the door shut behind her.

"Bob." She breathes out relieved. She moves to the desk removing the pistol that she had latched under the desk. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine." Bobbi says eyeing the pistol in the older woman's hands.

"Is anybody in the house?" Melinda demands quickly. It's just a bit startling. THe only other time she had heard her talk like this was when… "Bobbi!"

"No. Nobody but us." Bobbi states quickly.

"Don't go near the doors. Go back upstairs and lock your doors. Only answer to our special knock okay?" The two of them had created a special knock for emergencies. Only the two of them, Maria, and Melinda's not-boyfriend Phil knew the knock.

"You're freaking me out Melinda. What's happening?" She demanded to know.

"It's Harlee and Isabelle. Something's not right with them." Melinda says shortly. "I think they're sick."

"Sick?" At that time the glass door shatters. Melinda leaps in front of her, gun pointed and ready.

"Harlee stay back!" Melinda shouts. "Harlee I'm warning you!" The woman she used to know is now dripping blood from her lips, her eyes glassy in the small light of the room and she's running towards them screaming… angry.

"No!" Bobbi screeches as Melinda shoots Harlee in the head. Bobbi watches horrified as her body slumps to the ground. Melinda grabs her by the arm steering her away from the scene. "You shot her." She whispers.

"Bob…"

"She was talking about adopting a kid with Isabelle. She was our neighbor. They were gonna get married and-"

"Listen," Melinda whispers. "Something bad is going on. We have to go. Understand?"

"Yeah." Bobbi sniffs as headlights shine through the window.

"That's Maria. Let's go." Melinda leads her out of the house still barefoot and in her pajamas.

"Where the hell were you?" Maria growls. "Do you know how many calls I've gotten from Phil? Do you have a clue what's just happened?"

"I have an idea." Melinda deadpans helping her into the back of Maria's large car.

"Shit you're covered in blood."

"Not mine." Bobbi hears Maria let out a breath climbing into the car. "Good. Phil would have my head if I let anything happen to you."

"They say half the people in the city have gone crazy."

"Harlee worked in the city." Bobbi informs numbly.

"Shit, Hartley too?" She sees Melinda nod. Her posture is stiff, like it is on a bad day. They drive towards the highway in stunned silence. Bobbi lets out a whimper as they pass a house lit up in flames. She'd known the boy who lived there. They used to play together all the time.

"Are we sick?" Bobbi asks.

"No, sweetheart." Maria sighs. "It's complicated." Bobbi sucks in another breath as they cruise right past a family calling for help on the side of the road.

"They can't be helped now." Melinda sighs. "We have to worry about ourselves."

As they approach the highway they see cars lined all up the street. Obviously all going the same direction.

"Shit!" Maria exclaims hitting the wheel. She watches as a man steps out of his car shouting angrily at the person in front of him. Suddenly a body collides with his tackling him to the ground. Another body runs climbing into the open door to the passenger.

"Maria!" Her aunt snaps out of it spinning the car just as a body collides with her window. They speed down the street before coming to a road blocked by a car. There's just enough room to squeeze the car through but people are running from there. Bobbi holds her breath until they make it through without casualty. She's the first one to see the headlights of the car rushing towards their side.

"Look out!"

But it's too late.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Melinda coughs as she blinks heavily. The car is flipped on it's side and the hood is smoking profusely.

"Mom?" Bobbi asks.

"I'm okay." She whispers. The door on her side is pinned to the road and there's no way she could safely climb out Maria's side. It's nearly demolished. Melinda twists herself kicking open the windshield with a spray of shattered glass. She grimaces slightly as she climbs out of the car. Suddenly a body is on hers hissing, growling, and spurting blood across her cheek. It chomps at her menacingly before Maria jumps from nowhere smacking the thing in the head with the butt of her pistol, then shooting it twice.

"Watch your back." She grunts.

"Mom?" Bobbi is half out of the car now looking at her fearfully.

"Come here." Melinda states reaching inside the car to help carefully pull her out. Bobbi nearly collapses in her arms when she tries to stand on her own.

"My leg." She whimpers. Melinda bites her lip thoughtfully before passing Maria her own pistol.

"Keep us safe." She orders lifting Bobbi into her arms. They weave their way through the city like that, Maria leading the charge with her taking slack. They dive into an alley when another man lunges at them. Bobbi buries her face in her shoulder as Maria shoots. They take off running again before jumping into a bar her and Phil would frequent after rough missions.

Maria pushes herself up against the door fighting the bodies trying to push against her.

"Get to the highway!" Maria shouts.

"What? No! I'm not leaving you behind!"

"I'll be fine. You've got Bobbi. Now go!" Melinda shares a last look before running off. She runs as fast as her legs can carry her. Two of the infected are hot on their tail. She can hear them panting and groaning behind her when suddenly a gun goes off taking out the two behind her. Bobbi screams burying her face in her shoulder.

"Mom?"

"We're safe." She whispers in relief. "We're safe…" Melinda approaches the hill where a man in uniform clutching a gun stands waiting for them.

"Stop!"

"I'm Agent Melinda May! I'm with the CIA! My daughter is hurt and we need help!" She shouts.

"Stop right there!" The man growls pointing the gun towards the two of them. Melinda freezes nodding at his command.

"Listen, we're not sick."

"But Aunt Maria." Bobbi whimpers before she shushes her.

"Got civilians on the perimeter. Please advise." The man says out loud. She's quick to notice he's got a comm in his left ear listening to some commander.

"We'll get you safe then I'll go back for her. Got it?" Bobbi nods numbly.

"Sir, there's a little girl." Melinda tenses at his tone. She almost sees dread fill his face. She'd recognize that look from anywhere. It was the same one she'd had all those years ago. "Got it."

"Shit." Melinda takes off running just as the gun begins to spray at the two of them. Melinda grunts tumbling forwards as she takes a shot to the shoulder blade. Bobbi slips from her arms with a shriek, the two of them rolling down the hill. Melinda rolls onto her back ready to kick out his ankle when another shot goes off. Maria spits on the man as he's lying down, sneering at his dead body.

"Twice today." She frowns.

"Just a flesh wound." Melinda states pushing herself to her feet.

"Oh no." Maria breathes. It is then that Melinda hears the whimpers. Her heart drops as she spies Bobbi lying across the way clutching her stomach.

Melinda drops to her knees beside her checking the wound. "Maria your jacket!" She shouts. Maria's standing there simply shocked. "Your jacket!" She thrusts the thing at her and she presses it to the wound. "I need you to breathe for me Bobbi. Deep breaths." The blood is already beginning to soak through the jacket. Crimson is staining her fingertips.

"It hurts." Bobbi cries, her frame wracking with sobs.

"I know. I know." She can feel the tears building behind her eyes. No doubt that the commander would be sending back up soon. "You're gonna be okay. Just look at me Bobbi." But her eyes are already staring at the stars, unseeing. They've already glassed over with a sight a lot calmer than the storm swirling around them. Her hand falls limp by her side as her body slumps in her lap. "No." Melinda whispers. "Look at me Bobbi!" She screams gripping the girl's cheek, smearing the perfect porcelain with red. "Look at me!"

"Melinda!" Maria shouts.

"Look at me!"

"Melinda she's gone! We have to move!" Maria shouts.

"No! I can't leave her! I have to stay with her!"

"Melinda!" She buries her face in her daughter's curls allowing sobs to overcome her body.

"I can't leave her…"


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello! I'm so sorry that this update has taken so long. I absolutely intended to update it before I went back to school but things got a little bit hectic with preparing to go back and stuff. Finally after enough coaxing I am back and angsty-er than ever. ANy who I hope you enjoy**

 _Blonde pigtails bounce with every step she makes. She runs across the store excitedly at the sight of her friend. The boy is shorter than her, but to be fair Bobbi towers over most kids her age._

" _Lance!" The excitement in her voice is so uncharacteristic of her moody behavior as of late Melinda can't help but smile._

" _Bob!" ...Nobody calls Bobbi 'Bob' except for her. Melinda raises an eyebrow amused, watching the two from afar. The two settled into quiet chatter and infectious laughter, Melinda couldn't help a small, self indulgent chuckle now and again._

 _Quickly, however, the temperature seemed to spike up, the room became crowded with ash and smoke, fires licked at the walls and the two children disappeared._

 _Her lungs heave in an attempt to get air. She calls out for Bobbi but no sound came from her throat. She let out a silent scream falling to her knees when she hears a tiny whimper from behind her._

" _Mom?" Melinda spins around spotting the same blonde pigtails, now limp against her face. Her hand is pressed to a gushing wound in her abdomen. "Mommy?" Her voice breaks in fear and the image flashes. "Take my hand." The sudden ticking is deafening amongst the crackle of the flames. The girl flashes in and out of focus, as if static on a television. "It hurts Mommy." The garbled voice cries out. "Take my hand. I can take away your pain." Melinda stumbles backwards as blonde flashes to brunette, the bloody wound flashes to a bomb. "Please… I'm scared." Melinda lets out a cry as she feels her fingers collide with the cool metal._

" _I'm sorry." She sobs as she points her gun._

 _Green eyes go wide as the shots echo through the room._

The pounding of the door is what surfaces her to reality, leaving her gasping for breath. There's no smoke, no fire. No Bobbi… She's dead and has been for twenty years now. Melinda throws herself off of the bed moving groggily to the door. She yanks open the door finding Phil standing there with a smug look on his face.

"Your hurt."

"And you had another nightmare." Melinda answers him with a simple glare. "Sorry, thought we were stating the obvious." She steps aside letting Phil in. "Another one about-"

"Still don't want to talk about it."

"It's been 20 years Lin."

"And I'll die before I do. What did you get?"

"Bottle of haig and a couple rounds of ammo." Phil states proudly. "A couple of guys tried to mug me, luckily I had this." He holds up her pocket knife proudly. "Training kicked in and I looted it off of them." He smiles. Damn why was his smile so infectious?

"Looks like they got you a couple of times too." She part growls inspecting the wound on his cheek. It wasn't bad, likely just a lucky swipe of a knife. She moved to the island in the kitchen pulling a bottle of tequila out of the bottom cabinet.

"Why not use the Haig?"

"And waste perfectly good whiskey?" Melinda shakes her head grabbing a rag and two glasses. She pours the tequila on the rag carefully cleaning the wound while Phil pours them both a glass of whiskey.

"I'll give you one guess as to who jumped me." He states hitting his glass against hers. She savors the taste for a second before answering, the distaste of his name almost chasing away the whiskey on her tongue.

"Garrett?"

"Bingo."

"How does this asshole still have men?"

"Hell if I know." Phil says placing a hand on hers to pull it away gently. "But I know where he's hiding."

"You're kidding." She freezes at the thought of beating the asshole to a pulp. He had been their partner in the CIA before the contagion. Something had changed as soon as those… things, had started roaming the streets. He had turned on them, would've taken all they had weren't it for Melinda's fight training. He had escaped into the city, however, building an army of men. He was fucking crazy.

"Old warehouse on the west end." He smirks. "Can't tell you for how long though."

"How's now sound?"

Phil chuckles finishing off his drink. "Now that's the Melinda I know."

The walk to the checkpoint is fairly calm. They live under strict city rules now enforced by a dictatorship-like military. They had tried to recruit them but they ran. Melinda couldn't look them in the eyes. Not after what they had done to…

"Hey." Phil calls. "Get out of your mind. Talk to me." He had become good at detecting when she was delving too deep into her own mind. After too many times nearly killing military men in revenge for her daughter, Phil learned when she was going too far. He was her anchor. She had just pushed Maria away but Phil wouldn't leave her.

"I'm fine." She breathes. He places a hand on her back supportingly, guiding her towards the checkpoint.

"ID please." The man grunts. Phil hands over both when a truck on the other side of the gate suddenly explodes. Phil reacts quickly covering her body with his facing her away from the blast. Gunfire echoes in her ears as the soldiers fall into a small war.

"It's SHIELD!" One of them shout. SHIELD was a rebellious group of men and women that had risen from old soldiers and agents who had refused to be a part of the military regiment. They were basically anarchists, even gave the military the nickname Hydra. They remained in the shadow most of the time but apparently they had picked a really inconvenient time to show their faces.

"Run!" Phil shouts. Melinda kicks the ground before her feet even manage to cooperate with her, taking off towards the buildings for safety. She pulls him into a nearby building allowing them a moment to catch their breath.

"So much for the easy route huh?" He laughs.

"I'm glad you find this amusing."

"Reminds me of the old days." He grins. "What can I say? I'm a nostalgic guy."

"Right." She chuckles. "Are you hurt?"

"No, you?" He asks, eyes tracing her figure.

"I'm good. Let's go." He helps her move an old television set out of the way before hopping down a hole in the walls and floor. Someone had discovered a sewer that led to the fifth district just underneath this building and basically constructed an underground tunnel of sorts. It was dirty, raided with toxins, and unsafe as hell but it was their only option. They weren't going to let Garrett get away again.

Phil comes down after her slipping on his gas mask. Together they roam the tunnels in silence. A groan followed by heavy steps echo through the tunnels. Phil throws her a look and two nods. Two of them, standard size. After years of working together they had gotten used to silent communicating. Melinda spins out from behind the corner and throws two knives, each burying into the back of the skulls of the two figures that were previously lurching in the dim light.

"Nice work." Phil smirks.

A quiet whimpering echoes through the tunnels followed by a small voice. "Help." Phil doesn't even hesitate as he rushes to their aid. Ever the hero, she regards mentally with a roll of her eyes before following. Sure enough a man is pinned beneath two giant pipes. His mask is cracked and filling with the toxic air quickly. It was the same gas that had infected the people in the first place. Ten minutes and he'd be as mindless as the rest of them.

"We need to put him out of his misery." Phil says kneeling next to the man. His eyes were already turning glassy, his movement jerky and almost violent. Without hesitation Melinda delivers the blow halting all movement. His body goes limp under the weight and his glassy eyes are left staring at the ceiling. "Damn shame." He mutters before taking the lead again.

It takes another hour before they're even out of the tunnels. By then the sun is fully up and pouring into the makeshift clearing. Even after twenty years, she has to admit, the view is still pretty breathtaking. Greenery climbs up the walls intertwining with the brick. Nature is slowly taking back over and that is evident by the scene before them.

"It's almost like a date, you know."

"Always the romantic." Melinda scoffs jokingly.

"Can't help myself." He smiles at her again. Damn those eyes. He takes the lead towards the opposite side of the grass. The alleyway leads them into a makeshift little city. Dealers stood on either side of the road. Some selling guns at ridiculous prices, some dogs, some bargaining for rations. Overall disgusting.

"Let us through." She demands to a man sitting in front of a gate. The warehouse was just on the other side. They just needed to make their way through.

"No hello? Where have your manners gone May?" The man with an eyepatch laughs gruffly. "4 rations." Before she can even argue with the man Phil has thrusted some over. When she throws him an exasperated look he only shrugs.

"We have more than enough for ourselves."

The man steps aside letting them through with a shit eating grin. "Come again." He calls.

They make their way towards the building, guns clutched in their hands. Sure enough it wasn't as easy as marching into the place, she muses when gunshots fire off around them. They duck behind cover easily, their backs pressed to cool metal.

"Ten men. Likely more in the warehouse."

"Follow my lead." Melinda states climbing up on top of the dumpster they were using for cover. The high ground allowed her the angle to take out the three guys on the balcony. She flips off of the metal onto the solid ground taking out another two that had shot at them from behind. Phil uses the distraction she provided to take out four more. The last man had tried to flee but Melinda landed a perfect shot between his shoulder blades.

"Let's go get our man." Phil smirks.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

They found Garrett trying to scale a fence in a desperate attempt to flee from the two of them. His men were gone, absolutely destroyed by the two of them. Melinda grabs the back of his shirt ripping him off of the metal and throwing him into the dirt.

"You tried to send men after us huh?" Melinda smiles pointing a gun at his forehead. She delivers a kick to the abdomen. For Phil, she tells herself. But she also can't deny how gratifying it had felt too.

"No hard feelings right?" Garrett laughs through a pained groan.

"That's cute." She seethes kicking him again. She definitely heard ribs crack that time.

"Where are the guns Garrett?" Phil asks reminding her of his presence

"It's… complicated." It was Phil's turn to join in kicking the man so he lied flat on his stomach. He takes his right arm twisting it at a painful angle behind his back. "Stop! Stop! I'll tell you." Phil loosens his grip throwing Melinda a smug smirk. "I sold them." The smile fades from the both of their faces as the reality of the situation sets in. That had been twenty four of their guns. Twenty four guns that he had stolen and apparently now sold.

"Who has our guns?" Melinda growls

"I can't. I owed them."

"You owed us too. And I might have given you a few more days if you hadn't have tried to kill Coulson." She seethes pressing the gun to his temple.

"It's SHIELD! I owed SHIELD!"

"What?"

"We can get them back. They're all basically dead anyways." He laughs. "Fuck SHIELD!"

Melinda shakes her head moving to stand. "That's a stupid idea." She growls shooting him in the head.

"Feel better?" Phil asks raising an eyebrow.

"Now that we don't have a psycho after us? Yes. Much."

"What now?" He asks with a sigh.

"We get our guns back." She shrugs.

"How?"

"I don't know Phil. Let's explain it to them." She sighs. "Let's just find a firefly."

"You won't need to look far." A new voice steps into the mix. She looks up, shivers running down her back as Andrew steps into view.

"What the hell are you doing here?" She grumbles, her hand still tight on her pistol.

"I need your help Lin."

"Don't call me that."

"I need something smuggled into the city."

"So you stalk me and get yourself shot in the process." She remarks nodding to his wounded shoulder.

"It's not bad."

"Sure." She scoffs.

"Look, you help me, I'll get you your guns back and then some." He bargains.

"Deal." Phil cuts in quickly.

"Phil!"

"You and I both know we're down on weaponry Lin. Those guns were all we had."

"I want to see them first." Melinda states. "Lead the way."

Andrew guides them back to a camp hidden deep in a maze of greenery and destroyed buildings. They finally make it onto the base when a body suddenly leaps at her. She's about to attack back when she is able to make sense of the screams coming from the girl.

"What did you do to him?" Her attacker cries out.

"Daisy! Easy!" Andrew calls out. "It wasn't them." The girl backs off of her and Melinda is able to just barely get a look at her in the dim light. It's a young Chinese girl, likely in her mid to late teens. Her eyes are wide and panicked as she rushes to Andrew's aid.

"Who are they?" She mutters as she helps Andrew with his shoulder.

"Daisy, this is Phil and Melinda. Phil and Melinda, this is Daisy. You're going to be smuggling her out of the city."


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello! Long time no see! I'm so sorry for not updating sooner but life ended up taking over and getting hectic. I lost my best friend and I had to deal with rejection from a college that I really wanted to get into. I fell into a really bad mental state but I'm back now. I hope you guys like this chapter and if you guys still want it I will try to get it up as soon as possible. To the reviewer who asked if this was completely based off of The Last of Us, I'm not going to lie I'm pretty shitty at creating a completely different plot off of an AU idea I get. Not to mention the interaction between Joel and Ellie is so reminiscent of Melinda and Daisy I can't deny writing it in this way. I'm sorry you already know the turn out but I hope you will still enjoy it anyways. I will add in separate scenes as best as I can but I make no promises.**

"You're kidding me right?" Melinda deadpans staring at Andrew.

"Lin…" Phil starts stepping towards her.

"Take her somewhere else Phil. I need to talk to Andrew." She says narrowing her eyes at him. Phil simply nods before escorting the girl away, despite her fervent protests. Melinda's head snaps around to the man in front of her who was now leaning on the wall for support, clutching his side. "What the hell?"

"Hear me out Melinda,"

"Don't call me that." She growls.

"All you have to do is deliver her to the capitol building. Simple." He says gently.

"That's all the way across town!"

"I know you're capable." He chuckles. She wants to storm out. Her vision is nearly turning red in frustration. He deceived her. He lured her here with promises, and what does she get. Some girl. He knew what happened. He knew damn well. "She's not Bobbi."

Melinda advances quickly grabbing him by the collar and pushing him up against the wall. "Don't you ever say her name." She threatens. "Or that wound in your side won't be the only thing you need to worry about."

"I can repay you. More than repay you. I've got plenty."

"I want to see them." She says crossing her arms.

"What?"

"Let me see the guns." Andrew hesitates for a moment almost contemplating her demands. It was ridiculous. All he had to do was show them to her.

"I'll take Phil. We'll meet you and Daisy at the apartment."

"Excuse me?"

"I trust you with her more than anyone. I want you to look after her. There's not a chance in hell I'm dragging her into that part of town. I'll take him to our base, get myself patched up, and he will meet you back at the apartment."

Melinda looks him up and down for a moment, her jaw wired shut. She gives a brief nod before turning on her heal. "You're with me." She nods towards the girl. She looks to Phil passing him the pistol strapped to her side. "If anything happens…"

"It won't." Phil assures her with a smile. "See you."

"See you." She answers back quietly. "Come on Daisy."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Melinda flops backwards onto the couch with a long sigh. They had walked to the apartment in half silence. By half silence, meaning of course Daisy asking multitudes of questions with Melinda ignoring every single one of them.

"What are you doing?" She asks.

"Resting up. You better do the same." Melinda states with a sigh. She throws one arm over her eyes to block the light pouring in through the broken window. She tenses as she hears Daisy walk past her body. In her mind, she's able to track her movements through the apartment. The kid needs to learn the ability to be quiet or she's bound to get herself killed.

"Your watch is broken." Daisy points out. Melinda's body tenses, her eyes snapping open against the skin of her arm. She clenches her teeth remembering all those years ago. She lets out a small huff, almost a warning to the girl before forcing herself to calm. Just a few more hours. That's all she needed. A few hours…

It was dark when Melinda sprang awake to the sound of loud laughter. Her hand automatically settles on the knife buried in her belt. She only allowed herself to relax once she recognized the voice as Phil. She waits for a second relishing in the sound. It was so rare that he would let out a true, genuine laugh. He was getting more and more reserved as the days go on. Ever since Maria had left them years ago things just weren't the same. Sure she's caught him smiling now and again, but never a true laugh. Not in a long time.

"You did what?" Daisy shrieks.

"Five hours." He chuckles, "I left her in the bay for five hours."

"You better be telling the right version of that story." She deadpans tiredly from her spot on the couch.

"I told you I was maintaining my cover! I didn't abandon you for coffee!"

"Likely story." She mutters pushing herself off the couch. "We got to get going. If we're going to make it to the justice building before dark that is." Daisy lets out a disgruntled whine at the indication that story time was now over. Time to get back to the real world.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

They had been walking for hours and she could tell Daisy was getting a tad restless. The hours were either filled with silence or quiet chatter between the two trailing her. It wasn't unusual for her to look back to make sure they were still on task.

"We're stopping by Peggy's." She states suddenly as they walk down a road of apartment complexes.

"Who's Peggy?" Daisy asks. A frown overcomes her face and she decides to let Phil do the talking.

"Peggy was the woman who trained Melinda. Practically helped her through her adult years."

"I can't wait to meet her." Daisy smiles. Seconds later she seems to understand as a solemn look settles over Phil's face. "She's dead isn't she."

"Has been for a while. Lin used to take care of her every day. One day she just passed away in her sleep. It was a peaceful death for the chaotic world we live in right now." Phil sighs kicking at the ground.

"She died of old age?"

"She was a fighter." Melinda mourns for a second before shaking her head. "We need a break and to pick up ammo. I'm running low."

"So how has this lady's house not been ransacked?" Daisy asks curiously.

"Best damn agent I've ever seen. Every part of her house as reinforced to the max. The only one who even knew how to get in was Melinda herself. Lin trusted me though after she had gotten sick."

"You got sick?!" Daisy exclaims. Melinda's head snaps around to shush the girl.

"The flu. Unfortunately just because we got a deadly virus roaming around the world doesn't make us all invulnerable to common illnesses."

"I'm sorry but I just can't see her wrapped in a blanket eating a bowl of tomato soup."

"Chicken noodle. Believe it or not Phil is a damn good cook."

Daisy fell silent for a moment as if taking in the information herself, "I can see it." They fall silent once again until they get to the apartment complex. The building towers that used to tower high into the sky is now crumbled half way down. Jagged edges of concrete and metal stretch towards the sky like a threatening crown. A warning to leave.

Melinda is so distracted she doesn't hear the quick pattering of feet until it is too late. She braces her arm against the throat of the body crashing into her. In the twist of walking into the entrance she had been caught off guard by a lingering zombie. The momentum is enough to end her crashing back into the wall behind her. Melinda shouts out as pain rips its way through her shoulder cutting deep into her skin. She keeps her good arm braced against it's throat though, keeping it's gnashing teeth just centimeters from her face.

Phil reacts first catching the blade strapped into his belt and burying it into the side of the monsters skull. The body goes limp against her arm, only collapsing to the ground once Phil has freed it from his knife. He flicks the excess blood off the metal in disgust by shaking the handle towards the ground.

"Oh no." Daisy whispers, her eyes staring at Melinda's shoulder.

"No no no." Phil whispers rushing to her side. He almost breathes a sigh of relief when he spies the metal sticking out of the wound. Upon the crashing off bodies she had been pushed into loose rebar that had cut straight through her shoulder. "No bite but we need to get that stitched up fast." He says grabbing her carefully. Almost automatically as he comes to help her off of the bar she tucks her head into his shoulder. She bites down hard on the collar of his jacket to keep herself from hollering in pain. The last thing they needed was more zombies to know their location.

Before Phil even gets the chance Daisy has shedded her own jacket pressing it to the now profusely bleeding puncture. Melinda can feel her head beginning to spin as they navigate through the halls almost nostalgically.

"In here." Phil says walking up into the door and punching in multiple codes. The door slides open upon command as he ushers the two of them inside. "Daisy I need any alcohol you can find. I'm going to take Melinda to the back to get her patched up."

"Yes AC." She grins and she's off.

"AC?" Melinda questions as he guides her to another room.

"Agent Coulson apparently." He chuckles.

Phil gets to work easily on patching up her arm once he's assured that her wound is thoroughly cleaned by a bottle of vodka Daisy had found. He's just beginning to apply a weird looking cream before she speaks up.

"What's next?" Melinda asks suddenly.

"What do you mean?" Phil's head raises from his task momentarily to meet her eyes.

"I mean, after we turn the girl in." She states sure that Daisy is out of earshot of the conversation. "What do we do after this?"

"We go back to living I suppose. There's not much else we can do." He sighs. "It's not the old days where we used to be able to finish one mission and start the rest."

"I remember more of kicking your ass in sparring in the 'old days'" She states with a smirk as he begins stitching the wound.

"Maybe if we join SHIELD…"

"No."

"Hear me out Lin. Maybe things could be the same, hell maybe even better." He smiles. "Missions with SHIELD, just you and me-"

"And Andrew."

"We don't need to be around Andrew. SHIELD is all over. I know you saw the graffiti." He states knowingly. She knew exactly what he was talking about too. Plastered over maybe every brick wall they could see was a rough outline of a bird in a circle stretching it's wings wide. "We could go back to missions just like the old days."

"Nostalgia's fine Phil but it's time to live in the present." Melinda frowns, "You know what happened with Maria-"

"Yes, they left her for dead when she got surrounded by a horde but she escaped. Things are different now. SHIELD is stronger, we are stronger."

Melinda takes a moment to put thought into the situation before letting out a long breath. "I don't want anything to happen to you."

"It won't. I've got you to protect me." He smiles jovially.

"I'm serious Phil. I care about you… a lot." She says slowly, her eyes turning from his. He cuts the string as he finishes up the last stitch.

"I care about you too Melinda."

"I can't lose you."

"Hey!" Phil states grabbing her chin. "You're not losing me just like I'm not losing you. Got it?" He asks. She finds herself nodding numbly catching herself getting lost in the sensation of closeness. They had danced around this boundary for years never daring to cross it. Now he was mere centimeters from her, his beautiful eyes glancing down at her own lips.

Using her good hand Melinda fists his collar in one hand crashing his lips to hers. He tasted of sips of vodka and sweat. His smell was intoxicating. She resisted groaning against the pain that spiked through her shoulder just to pull him closer. Why the hell did they wait so long for this?

"Hey!" Daisy's voice has them pulling away like a couple of guilty teenagers. She didn't bother yelling at the girl this time since she was positive that the place was soundproof. "This lady has beef jerky! Sweet!"

For the first time in a long time Melinda allows herself to indulge in silent laughter, burying her face into Phil's shoulder once again.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

They're back on their feet again within an hour. They allowed themselves moments to relax as well as indulge in some food and reloading on ammo. She pretends she doesn't see Daisy sneak Peggy's old switchblade into her pocket. The girl would need to protect herself after all. It's evident enough that she doesn't have the experience shooting a gun otherwise Andrew would have armed her with the many weapons he apparently has in stock.

They've all fallen into a comfortable silence with Daisy occasionally basking at their surroundings. Part of her can't help but wonder how long Andrew had kept this girl inside, underground, in tunnels. Hidden from the very light of day in order to keep her safe. Safe from what though? The question has her steps stall as she stops from half a second. She plays with the idea of asking. What made this girl so special? What does Andrew, or more importantly SHIELD have to do with this? What does she have to do with any of this? Why hasn't he been training her to fight for herself especially in the world they currently live in? SHIELD had plenty of good fighters as far as she knew. You either sided with the military or you rebelled with SHIELD. Phil and her were one of few conceders that had been involved in fighting in their previous lives. What made Daisy different?

"So what's your deal? Are you a big shots daughter or something?" Phil asks as if reading her mind.

"Something like that." Daisy breathes uncomfortably.

Melinda shrugs off the climbing suspicion scaling the ladder to the outside of the tunnel they had been making their way through. "Patrol up ahead." She quietly warns. Once they're out of sight they work quickly, covering up the hole from which they had come with a loose board she had pushed out of the way.

"Holy shit," Daisy sighs. "I'm actually outside." Melinda frowns for a second imagining being contained within those walls all her life. She shreds that crawling feeling of pity as she quietly scales the tipped over shipping container. It must have fallen from the crane nearby before it had collapsed but it acted as a bridge between elevations. Unfortunately it acted as a damn good blind spot too because as soon as Melinda had exited out the other side she found herself being knocked in the temple by a rather large gun.

Her head reels as she falls to her knees. She grunts in pain hearing rather than seeing the man point his gun at Daisy. Melinda goes to fight back when another soldier presses the edge of his gun to the back of her head.

"Don't do anything stupid." He warns gruffly. "You two on your knees." He gestures with his flashlight attached to the barrel to the spot on the ground beside her. Begrudgingly the two of them move to kneel beside her.

"Agent Ramirez: calling in about three strangers found roaming the grounds." The man looks to his partner with a grim frown. "Scan them."

Melinda resists her urge to fight as the man presses the scanner to the back of her skull. She hears Phil make a bargain but he's not answered with any more than a gruff shove as they finish his scan. Melinda curses slightly as she realizes what will happen. They will unfortunately be forced to waste their bullets on these two morons. She just had to wait until the other got off the radio as not to raise suspicion. Suddenly as they go to scan Daisy the girl tenses. Her face falls and it looks suspiciously like she's going to cry. She has to give the girl credit, she can move pretty damn fast. The girl buries Peggy's switchblade into the thigh of the man behind her.

Melinda's on her feet next shooting the injured man in the heart from behind before he can fight back. Phil reacts next shooting the reporter between the eyes.

"Man they're just beating you up today." Phil jokes lightly gesturing to the cut across her eyebrow where she had been hit.

"Funny." She deadpans.

"You actually killed them." Daisy whispers horrified. Phil moves to the abandoned scanner on the ground consumed with suspicion before she even thought of it. His entire body seizes as he glares down at the words before throwing the scanner over to her. The red words glare up at her menacingly.

"You're infected." She seethes. Of course she was. Why else would she be carting this girl across the city? Andrew had probably thought her another charity case that could be saved. What kind of horrid experiments would she be subjected to?

"I'm not! I swear! I can explain." She shouts scooting back as far away from them as she can get. Her back hits a crate behind her and Melinda can see it in her eyes. So much fear. Guilt scrawls through her stomach as Phil points the pistol at the young girl's head.

"Explain. Now." Phiil's voice is uncharacteristically deep, laced with betrayal.

Daisy rolls her sleeve up thrusting her arm out in front of her. Sure enough Melinda can see the indentation in her arm. The teeth marks glare up at her, harshly mocking her for beginning to believe of goodness in the world. "Look, this is three weeks old."

"You're lying. Everyone turns after two days if not sooner."

"Why would Andrew set you up? He told me about you May. You were his wife. You wanted a family."

"Shut up." She growls.

"You had a daughter. Her name was Bobbi. You adopted her."

"You do not talk about her!" Melinda shouts pointing her gun threateningly.

"Melinda." Phil's concern is evident in his voice. Sure enough she can see the headlights of a car rolling up. They must have realized they were not getting any feedback from them anymore.

"Run! Now!" Melinda shouts. She leads the way with Phil and Daisy heavy on her footsteps. She dashes into an abandoned building where they take cover for the next two hours until they hear the tell tale of tires driving away from them. She looks to Daisy whose shoulders are now shaking with sobs.

"What now?" Phil asks.

"Let's finish this."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The morning light is just beginning to creep up the sky as they reach the justice building. They had a few more attacks into the night. One zombie had actually managed to tackle Phil and get him onto the ground before she could react by quickly shooting him off. Melinda shakes the memory, the fear that had crawled through her.

Daisy freezes just as she begins to reach towards the door. Her hand is slowly lowers to her side before she turns back towards them. "Before we finish this just let me say this," Daisy sighs. "I'm really glad Andrew hired you."

"I'm glad too. Now let's get you where you need to be." Phil smiles. Daisy leaps forwards wrapping her arms around his abdomen. Almost as if natural to him, Phil tucks her head beneath his chin hugging her back. For a moment she's almost certain she can see tears glistening in his eyes. However, the moment is interrupted when Daisy switches to her, crushing her into a surprisingly strong embrace. Hesitantly Melinda allows herself to run a gentle hand across the girl's back.

Melinda leads the three of them, opening the door. As light pours into the cracks she can spy fallen bodies. Crimson spreads from wounds like halos marking the place of death. As she steps inside it is evident to her that there were no survivors in this massacre. These were the people they were supposed to hand off Daisy to.

"No." Phil whispers running up to a body and searching it frantically.

"What now?" Daisy asks.

"What are you doing?" Melinda asks ignoring Daisy's question.

"They had to have had a map Lin. Or some sort of guide to tell us where we are going. This can't end here."

"We gave it our all. We got her here." Melinda says. "It's over."

"No. It can't be over." His voice is almost breaking at this point. "We can get her where she needs to go. Where is it? Where was this lab?"

"West?" Daisy asks. "Andrew never gave specifics."

"Phil." He snaps his head up towards her. "This is not us."

"What do you know about me Lin?"

"What are you talking about I've known you for over thirty years!" She shouts back. "You're being irrational. First you suggest working with SHIELD and now you are talking about taking this quick mission and turning it into a road trip?"

"We can take her to Maria. Maria will know where to go." Phil assures. "We-"

His voice is cut off with the sound of tires rolling up the streets purring through the shattered windows. "We have to move. Now." Melinda states.

"I'm not coming." Phil states

"Excuse me?" Her eyes snap back to him. He's looking at her with such sadness. His eyes are torn between her and his choice. "No you promised me. I'm not leaving you here."

"You don't have a choice Lin."

"No." Daisy whispers from the outside of the conversation. "He's infected."

Melinda's head snaps back towards him begging him to deny the claims. Not him. Anybody but him. "That one that jumped you." She whispers. Phil tugs back the collar on his shirt to reveal the nasty looking bite. It was already beginning to fester, he was turning quick.

"I'm not turning into a monster Melinda. This only happened two hours ago. Hers has been three weeks. This is real Lin." He whispers.

"You said I wouldn't lose you." Betraying tears are already beginning to form in her eyes.

"What was that you said? Nostalgia's fine. But you need to live in the present." He seizes the opportunity to press a quick, sorrowful kiss to his lips. He pulls away much too soon leaning his forehead against his. She takes the moment to memorize every detail of his face. To take every inch of it in and never forget it. "I saw an escape through the upstairs window. Take her to Maria. Save her for me Melinda."

"I-"

"I know. Me too." With that Melinda grabs Daisy by the hand dashing up the stairs. They are just about to reach the door when the main one bursts open. Daisy is crying substantially now. There is no way they can make it to the door right now without being tracked for movement out of the corner of the soldiers' eyes. Melinda tugs Daisy to the ground throwing her hand over the young girl's mouth.

The both of them watched as Phil pulls out his pistol shooting down the first five men. For a moment Melinda believes he will win. He will take them all out without a problem. As if in slow motion she watches as Phil stumbles backwards. A red spot forms in the middle of his chest. He falls to his knees slowly. He flopped over dead, crimson spilling from the wound onto the stained white tiles beneath him. The bullets then begin to rain making sure that he was truly dead. Daisy lets out a heartbreaking scream, all the fight leaving her body as she slumps against Melinda sobbing into her shirt.

Melinda takes the moment of chaos and allows them to duck out onto the streets. It isn't until they reach a place to sleep that Daisy breaks once again. Her knees give out from under her and a scream tears from her throat. Her body compulses with sobs and Melinda has to resist giving in with her. Sobs rip her vocals to shreds as she weeps for the one person that had shown her kindness. The one person that allowed her to laugh. Her small arms cradle her chest, fingers clawing at the clothes that restricted her breathing. The shaking didn't stop and neither did the screams

"You left him! You left him to die! I could have saved him!" She cries. Her eyes are so full of anger and hatred Melinda begins to wonder if it could've been possible. She wonders if by any chance she could've saved her best friend. She feels guilt creep up her throat as she leaves the room leaving the girl to her sobs.

Melinda waits until the girl has cried herself into a fitful rest that Melinda allows the sobs compressed in her chest to filter through the air. Quiet cries bubble through her lips as she remembers how his eyes lit up when he talked about Captain America, how he had bit his lip in deep concentration when doing homework at the Academy, how his face turned solemn and dangerous in battle. She thought of how he had held her during Bahrain, how he stroked her hair after Bobbi died, how his lips had felt against hers, how he had smiled, how he had laughed, how he had loved...

"You said I wouldn't lose you."


	4. Chapter 4

**1\. I'm sorry for the terrible delay on this. I am in the middle of show choir competition season and I keep finding myself without the electronics to publish anything solid. That on top of I just got out of tech week for our most recent show and I am just exhausted. 2. I'm sorry for this lack luster chapter but this was a sort of get over the hump chapter cause I was stuck on this whole interaction with Mack. It seems very rushed and sloppily put together but I didn't just want to throw away Mack's story entirely.**

"What's next?" Daisy's voice is hoarse and emotionless. No doubt she'd cried herself to sleep the night before much like her. Melinda simply sighs gathering supplies from the cabinets that were left open in an hasty escape.

"We're going to find a mechanic." Melinda says.

"Very descript."

"His name is Mack. He'll help us get a car and find Maria. That's all there is to it."

"Mack? Like Mack and Cheese?"

"Like Alphonso Mackenzie." Melinda frowns. "But don't let him hear you calling him that."

"So how did you meet this mechanic?" Melinda flinches at the memory. _Three kids running through her backyard._

"I knew him when he was a kid." She sighs, it isn't the entire truth but it's not a lie. Melinda's mind was beginning to feel heavy with every lie she told her.

"Cool." She feels her chest lighten a bit at the lack of curiosity for once. She's not sure she could take another onslaught of memories.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"No!" Melinda shouts suddenly as they're making their way towards the garage. Daisy looks back at her startled but very much alive, thanks to her. "Come back to me." She urges wearily. Though staring at her like she's insane, Daisy does as she says. Melinda kicks a rock to the place Daisy had almost crossed and sure enough an explosion ripped from the ground where she'd almost stepped.

"Jesus." Daisy breathes. "Thanks for that." The younger girl's eyes avoid hers. That had been the first thing she said the entire trip here. She could feel the accusatory eyes on her the entire way. Daisy was still harboring a grudge for not saving Phil. She had every right to. She should have saved him.

"Just follow me. Make sure you step exactly where I do." Melinda is careful and precise as she steps. Each one is as calculated as the last. The air is still besides the gentle sound of gravel shifting beneath their worn boots. Her body tenses as the silence is interrupted. It's soft at first, almost indistinguishable from Daisy trying to keep her balance. Soft clicks bounce off of the walls, inching closer

"Why'd you stop?" The brunette questions. Sure enough her voice is loud enough to echo through the still air. Six figures emerge from where they had come, their faces mutated with infection. Their heads sprouting mushrooms and other fungus. They were blind to the world but the explosion must've attracted them, Daisy's voice assuring them of their location. Their mouths open in horrific screeching. Morphed bodies now tripping over themselves, charging at them.

"Daisy, watch me and run. I need you to trust me." Melinda says hurriedly. Then she takes off. Each footstep precise and sure. She hears explosions echoing behind her. She can't even look back to make sure it's not Daisy. Her throat burns as she races at her top speed towards the garage door.

Suddenly the door yanks itself open, a large figure looming in front. Melinda dives to the ground as she spies him. Daisy does the same, however a little less gracefully, landing with a heavy thud and a pained groan. Two loud blasts echo from his shotgun taking out the remaining clickers who hadn't been decimated by an explosion. Melinda scatters to her feet ducking inside. Daisy is hot on her heels.

"Hey, thanks. We really got-" Daisy's voice is interrupted when Mack catches Melinda by the arm handcuffing her to a pipe on the wall. He hits Daisy in the back of the knees with the handle of his shotgun forcing her to fall.

"Hands on your head!" He shouts. The glint of the axe teases her in the dusty light of the garage. Of course he had handcrafted his own weapon. One she hadn't trained herself against. "Have you been bitten? Got anything growing on you?" Melinda can't let him find that bite on her arm. That man won't listen to reason. Just shoot. Melinda blocks out Daisy's fervent denials focusing on herself. She sucks in a breath before dislocating her thumb and freeing herself from the handcuff.

"What the hell?" Daisy practically screeches at the sound. Melinda leaps on his back before he can turn. She manages to get an arm around his neck securing him in a headlock.

"Mack it's me! It's Melinda May. Bobbi's mother!" With mention of Bobbi the man freezes. Melinda takes the opportunity to release hold of him and jump off of his back. He turns slowly, his gun still poised and ready. "We aren't infected."

"May," He whispers, "You haven't aged a day."

"Can't say the same for you." Melinda sighs. "Last time I saw you we were carpooling across the country and you were about sixty pounds smaller."

"Hey your training did me good." He smiles easily.

"You're kidding me right?" Daisy pants from her spot on the ground. "He just handcuffed you to a pipe and pointed a shotgun at my head and now you're being nostalgic."

"Shotgun axe." Mack corrects

"Cause that makes it any better." Daisy sighs laying down.

"How's Coulson?" Melinda adverts her eyes for a second. "Shit. I'm sorry."

"Don't." Melinda's voice is stolid and devoid of emotion. "Look, we need a car. I need to get her to Maria."

"Maria? She's at the Hub!" He exclaims. It was a two day trip by car. All the way across the country.

"And?" Melinda asks raising an eyebrow. "You're the best mechanic I know. Surely you can fix up one of these junk rats."

"Don't you think if I could I would have by now?" Melinda only answers him with a questioning glare. "Fine. But you're helping."

"It's like her glare is magic or something." Daisy groans from the floor.

"Who's she?"

"Her name is Daisy. Andrew assigned Phil and I to escort her to a trade off with SHIELD in exchange for weapons that Garrett stole from us." Melinda explains. "We were ambushed… Phil got bitten and we were surrounded by Hydra." She takes a breath biting the inside of her cheek. "He stayed behind."

"What does SHIELD want with her?"

"No idea. That's why I'm taking her to Maria." Again not entirely the truth but not entirely a lie either. She's no idea what they plan on doing with her. Taking her to Maria just means Maria will know where she's supposed to go. She can leave Maria to take her from there.

"Fair enough. Let's get to work."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

She had just rested her eyes for a second when she wakes to the sound of Daisy's laugh. The sound was something to be treasured. If she closes her eyes again she can almost pretend it's him. That none of this happened. That they're back in their apartment. That they never took this mission.

Melinda pulls herself from her prone position making her way to the small living room. Daisy and Mack are looking through a bunch of photos lying around. Melinda's able to spy over their shoulders. It's a photo of Mack and another man, his smile is brighter than the midday light pouring in through the cracks of the wood covering windows.

"That's Trip." Mack smiles. "He's something special. Maybe he'll come around and you'll be able to meet him."

"Come around?" Daisy asks.

"We got into a dispute. He wanted to ditch this place. I said what's wrong with moving from somewhere that's safe." Mack shrugs putting the photo down. "He'll come around eventually."

"How long has it been since he left?"

"Just a day." Mack sighs. "He's stayed away longer."

"What's he like?"

"Funny, charismatic. He could charm the pants off a total stranger."

"Didn't work on me." Melinda speaks up breaking the small moment.

"Well we know you're not just anyone aren't you May?" Mack jokes lightly. Melinda allows herself a small indulgent smile for a second. Then she's solemn once more.

"We need to get to work." Daisy groans for a second before forcing herself to pull away from the gallery set before them.

"You know who she reminds me of."

"Don't." Melinda warns him tensely.

"I'm just saying." The glare silences him once more.

She knew exactly what he was thinking. But if she lost her again Melinda's not sure if she could recover from this one.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"I'm sorry for giving you the cold shoulder." Daisy says suddenly as they're working. "I know there's not anything you could've done."

"That's not true." Melinda mutters.

"Not if Mack's stories are true." She pushes. "Apparently he was as stubborn as you are." She smiles sadly.

"He was." She sighs sparing herself a look at the younger girl. "We once spent two days ignoring each other because we refused to admit the other was right."

"Two days? What were you fighting about?" She asks curiously.

"God I don't even remember." Melinda chuckles lightly. What she wouldn't give to take back those two days… To talk to him one more time.

"If it's worth it, I'm thankful that it was you two." Daisy looks towards the ground. "I wish what had happened, didn't but I'm glad I met you guys." Melinda parts her lips to respond when Mack interrupts.

"Looks like I'm caving in first Tremors." He states. "I need a spare part fro Trip so we're making a journey."

"Tremors?" Melinda asks.

"It's best if you don't ask."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The journey is quiet and careful. Clickers litter their small little area and they can't even spare a single shot wasted lest it bring forth ten more. Mack's axe could only get them so far in quiet killings. They find the building quickly. It's not that far from the garage. Apparently they had designated places to get away from each other as well. The other only knowing said locations in case of emergencies.

"Here we are." Mack states opening the door without even knocking. "Hey!" He shouts into the small complex. His muscles tense as he takes in the sight in front of him. Melinda has to resist the urge to advert Daisy's gaze away from the situation. In the middle of the room a body dangles from the ceiling. A noose is secured tightly around the neck of the man she recognizes as Trip.

"Oh god." Daisy whispers.

"No…" Mack numbly walks over to the body. He uses the knife strapped to his side to cut his friend down. Melinda feels bile building in the back of her throat as she spies the bite mark on the arm of the corpse. The blood looks like it hadn't dried more than two hours ago. He hadn't been dead long. He'd given his life for the same reason as Phil.

"Mack…"

"I didn't even get to apologize." He mutters numbly.

Melinda leaves the room quickly to retrieve the things they need. She loots the kitchen just to be safe. She lingers for a little bit allowing the man she had known for so long time to grieve. They could take their time. Whatever had gotten to Trip was long gone and as long as they were quiet they would be safe. What feels like an eternity passes before Daisy shows up in the room, eyes partially glazed over and face blotchy from tears. She wasn't the only one who had been reminded of Phil.

"We're leaving."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Melinda startles away with the shuffling beside her. Quickly she grabs her weapon pointing in at the shadow looming next to the space where she was sleeping. The shadow raises its hands. In the dim light she can make out the familiar shape of Mack. He was reaching for his shotgun laying dormant against the wall by her head. She narrows her eyes at him nodding towards the kitchen. She looks over at the young girl whose hand reaches towards her body. Still sleeping, good. She didn't need to hear this.

Melinda carefully makes her way towards the kitchen being careful to keep her footsteps light.

"See you're still as light of a sleeper as always." Mack tries a half hearted attempt at a joke. Melinda doesn't answer him as she lights the lantern lying on the counter. "May I-"

"So you're leaving." She surmises shortly.

"Your car is ready. You don't need me anymore... Did you expect me to stay?"

"Daisy's really taken a liking to you. She'd want you to stay with us. Not to mention we need the manpower. She's not exactly trained to be wielding a weapon."

"You always did like a challenge." Mack tries again only being answered with a glare. "I need to do this."

"No you don't." She frowns. "You're being selfish because of how you found Trip."

"Can you blame me?"

"Yes I can." She keeps her voice quiet looking back towards the area where Daisy had been sleeping. "When Phil died I didn't abandon her."

"You have an obligation to her. I don't." He scoffs.

"No I don't."

"You really don't see it do you?" Mack asks exasperated.

"See what?"

"She's just like them." He states. "Phil and Bobbi."

"Don't." Her voice curls out of her throat like a deadly growl.

"Her attitude, the way she speaks. No wonder you feel indebted to her. You couldn't save them."

"Stop!" This is the first time Melinda raises her voice.

"Her determination is Bobbi. The way she wants to save everyone is so Phil it's sickening. I know you saw her toying with Bobbi's old laptops or flipping through his comics."

"They're gone!" Melinda shouts.

"Do you think you're the only one who lost her?" Mack shouts back grabbing her by the shoulders.

 _Three children dash through her yard. Bobbi's blonde pigtail braids bounce on her shoulders as she lets out a laugh. Two boys run from her, their laughter filling the air along with hers. Melinda smiles slightly watching the three children play._

" _Bobbi, Hunter, Mack!" She calls. "Dinner!" She can see alarm and dread fill the three faces. "I ordered Chinese." She rolls her eyes at their exaggeration. One time she sets the microwave on fire and she's marked for life. The three rush in excitedly grabbing their food._

" _Mom? Can Lance and Mack spend the night tonight?"_

 _Melinda sighs, she had warned Bobbi of this. "No Bob, I told you I work late tonight."_

That had been the night everything had gone to shit. A little boy with a mischievous smile gone with a spark of flames. Brilliant eyes of a young girl with so much potential snatched away without warning.

"I should have been with her! We should have been with her!"

"Why?" Melinda snaps pushing him against the wall with a surprising amount of strength to push back a man with his stature. "So you could watch her die in your arms? Or so I could have more blood on my hands?" She seethes.

"May." He sinks as she snatches herself away, "I didn't mean it that way."

"Get out." She whispers.

"I'm not leaving you here." He says.

"I said get out!" She screams aiming her gun at him. "You want more blood on my hands so badly?" She accuses. "Leave or I'll shoot." Wordlessly he grabs his gun he'd abandoned on the counter. He slams the door shut behind him. She had a feeling she wouldn't been seeing him again.

"He left." Daisy whispers.

"How much did you hear." Melinda deadpans.

"Enough." She sighs, "Do you feel indebted to me? Do I remind you of them?"

Melinda looks her in the eyes, the girl is shaking, her face stained with tears. "You're nothing like them." Her tongue is heavy with the lie.

"Good."


	5. Chapter 5

**It's back! A huge thanks to Riley and Em for finally getting my ass in gear and ready to update. Within the next few days I hope to also upload that Wedding Fic as well. (Spoiler alert not a Philinda wedding but guess who's gonna be the main ship anyways cause I do what I want?) Any who I hope you guys enjoy the chapter. Please leave a comment about our newly arrived characters or what you thought about the chapter in general!**

Melinda hears a soft stirring in the backseat indicating Daisy's awake. Good, the girl deserved a few hours of sleep after all she's been through.

"Where are we?" She moans groggily stretching her stiff limbs across the backseat of the truck. The girl had slept much longer than expected. For nearly twenty si hours she's been on the road. That doesn't even count the moments where she'd taken a break to get two hours of sleep, taking a few hours to scavenge for food and medicine… The basics essentially.

"Utah, Salt Lake City to be exact." Melinda answers calmly.

"What?" Daisy's jaw drops. "I slept from Nebraska to Utah? No wonder I feel like the dead." She groans reaching for her bag. "Bad news, we're running low on water." In the mirror she can see Daisy finish off the canteen.

"That's why I'm going through a big city. We're going to search for supplies and then hit the road again. We need to suck more gas from dormant cars. I probably only have another hour of gas."

"That's fair." Daisy says pulling something from her bag and crawling into the front seat. The sight of the stack of comics lying in her lap causes her stomach to churn. Steve Rogers's eyes stare up at her accusingly. "Figured I'd need some reading material after sleeping for that long." Her mind begins to reel with memories where she'd lie in Phil's lap as he ranted for hours about how Hydra-Cap was the biggest mistake Marvel had ever made. "Whoa, you okay? You went green for a second there." Daisy's looking at her alarmed and she's not sure she can lie her way out of this one.

"Those were Phil's." Melinda frowns. "He must've left them at Mack's the last time we saw him." She swallows the truth like a bitter drink. It burns her chest but it's a little liberating at the same time.

"Shit." The younger girl moves to roll down the window quickly. She's moving to throw each of them out the window when Melinda catches her wrist.

"Don't." Melinda sighs. "It's one of few things I have left of him."

"Few?" Melinda fingers the pin on her jacket. It was rusted from years of misuse, Phil had given it to her when Bobbi died. She'd found herself in late nights where she'd felt like drowning clinging to the pin until her body finally succumbed to sleep. "This and an old trading card he carried everywhere with him. He'd had it signed and everything." Melinda laughs lightly.

"You're kidding."

"Not even a little. He dragged me to a fan convention in San Diego where he made me dress up like Peggy Carter, of course he was Captain America. I don't think I've ever seen him smile as widely when he signed it." Melinda's smile fades as she pulls up to an exit. Of course the highway was bumper to bumper packed with cars. It only figures. She sighs pulling off at the exit where there was enough room for her to maneuver between the cars. "It'd be easier if I had my bike."

"You rode a motorcycle?" Daisy looks over at her wide eyed and amazed. "I know I shouldn't be surprised by that but I've never even seen one."

"You're kidding me right?" Melinda scoffs.

She just shrugs with a frown, "You don't see much when you live underground for a good portion of your life." She opens her mouth to offer an apology when a man appears in front of her vision. He's waving at her, clutching his bleeding abdomen. "Slow down! He's hurt!" The man stumbles in front of the car and Melinda hits the gas. "No!" Sure enough as she speeds up the man drops his rouse, pulling a gun from his jacket. The sound of glass piercing breaks her ears cutting through the space between the two of them.

More men jump from behind trailers and other hiding places attacking the car. Daisy lets out a screech as they shatter her window with a baseball bat. Melinda is just about to clear the area when she hears another shout from Daisy. She spies the oncoming train much too late. The front catches the backend of the car spinning them around violently. The car collides with the metal door of a garage and all Melinda can hear is her thoughts.

 _Oh god not again._

The car finally jerks to a stop before it hits solid wall. Her spine aches but she's very much alive. Daisy is shaking violently in the passenger seat. She unfastens herself quickly and does the same for the girl next to her. It's moments like these where she realizes how small she actually is.

"Are you hurt?" Melinda demands. All the poor girl can do is fervently shake her head. They'd set up a silent definition of hurt by now. She may be sore but she can run. That's good. Melinda sets a pistol in her shaking fingers.

"Wha- I don't know how to use a gun!"

"Good a time as ever to learn."

Just as they move to open the doors a man seizes Daisy by the waist yanking her out of the car. She kicks and hollers but it's no use. He has a good grip on her. Melinda poises her gun when another man grabs her by the hair pulling her out the other side. He forces her to move, having the advantage of momentum over her. He smashes her head through a window causing a groan of pain to pass her lips. He tries to throw her out but she drops suddenly using his own body weight against him to toss him over her shoulder and out the window.

She turns back to Daisy just in time to see her go down by the much larger man slapping her in the face. She's seeing red as she charges the man. She leaps onto his back snapping his neck with horrific ease. She tries not to show her satisfaction as he drops limply to the ground. She can't help the extra kick to the head she delivers when she spies a long cut across Daisy's cheek from the man's ring.

"Run." She growls. Daisy kicks her feet up from underneath her rushing into the next room. The cracks on the floor give away to a flooded section beneath the floor. Must've been a pipe busted. Right past that there's a ledge just high enough that the two of them can escape with assistance from the other but they need to make it fast. Melinda links her fingers together throwing Daisy upwards. She catches the ledge and pulls herself to safety. She lays down exactly as Melinda taught her in order to help her up without accidentally pulling herself over the edge.

Melinda runs and jumps, her fingers just barely brush Daisy's when a man catches her by the jacket, throwing her into the pool of water. She surfaces sucking in a deep breath of air before the man has her by the throat pushing her back under. Her movements are slower underneath the water. Sure enough by her luck the man has knocked her pistol out of her grip. Her fingers stretch for the metal but it's too far and she's losing oxygen quick. Her mind begins to spin when he drives his knee into her stomach, forcing what was left of her air rushing from her lungs. He flips her over pinning both of her hands behind her back. In a last ditch effort Melinda throws her leg back to catch the soft spot of the calf in an attempt to knock him off balance.

However, with a muffled bang the weight is gone. Melinda surfaces breathing in heavily. She sputters for a second coughing up the water she had swallowed during the struggle. Her vision is spotty but she spies Daisy, her fingers shaking and eyes wide as she holds the gun as far away from her as she can.

"I killed him." She whimpers shocked at herself.

"You had to." Melinda said hoarsely.

"I'm going to be sick." She leans over a column in the middle of the room clutching her stomach. She's limping a bit. Likely sprained her ankle jumping from the ledge to save her. God she's only a kid...

"He was going to kill me if you didn't." Melinda reasons. She looks around, the room now eerily silent. "Let's go before more of them come along." Daisy only nods numbingly. The two hoist each other up onto the railing being careful when crossing to the next building.

Another body collides with Melinda's as she pulls herself through the window. This one is smaller, much weaker than the other men attacking her.

"Hey!" Daisy shouts pointing a gun at her attacker.

"Don't move!" Another voice shouts back.

Melinda is able to make out her surroundings now. They're in a small apartment building. The man who'd managed to push her against the wall is hardly a man at all. In fact, he hardly looks older than Daisy. His light brown hair is curly and rests on the top of her head, light green eyes sparkling with the adrenaline of self defense. Behind him is a girl who looks to be his age. Her short brown hair is tied back away from her face, her own pistol pointed at Daisy.

"Fitz…" She whispers. "They're not hunters."

Fitz's eyes land on Daisy and he lets go of May with a murmured apology. "Those freaks have been looting houses all week. I thought they'd finally found us."

"My god you're soaked!" The girl exclaims. Both have foreign accents, likely exchange students who'd been completely unaware of the outbreak. Some nations kept their citizens in veiled curtains not knowing what was happening in the rest of the world before it was too late.

"Yeah. We just had a run in with those freaks." Daisy growls.

"Fitz go get her some dry clothes." She orders before rushing over to check on Daisy.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" She asks snatching herself away.

"I'm a doctor." She explains. "You're favoring your right side and you winced when you crawled through the window. Sprained ankle?"

"Likely."

"Oh my you both need to be checked." The girl sighs. Once the boy, Fitz, comes back they're settled as the girl checks the both of them. For some odd reason Melinda gets the sensation that she can trust the duo.

"I'm Daisy, this is Melinda but she prefers May." Her partner smiles. "Thank you for helping us."

"You're like us. We had to." Fitz explains.

"Like you?"

"Hydra doesn't exactly favor the young that can't defend themselves. You can't be Hydra if you're a teenager." He explains.

"Makes sense." Daisy grumbles as the girl ties a makeshift splint to her ankle.

"Oh how rude of me." The girl brushes off her hands standing. "I'm Jemma Simmons, either one you wish to call me is fine. This is Leopold Fitz but he doesn't like to be called Leopold."

"You call me Leopold when you scold me!" He exclaims.

Melinda sits back listening to the two bicker with a half smirk. Out of the corner of her eye, for the first time in a long while she can see Daisy relax.


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello! I just want to send out a little warning that I may not get out a fic this week due to the fact *pauses for drum roll* I'm going to be meeting Ming on Saturday! I've been keeping it to myself (and the GCs. They have to put up with all my shit) until it's been official but my mom it's happening. I'm practically vibrating with excitement (aside from normal vibrations cause ya know tremors) and I don't know how I'm not bouncing off the walls yet. Any who that's my life updates I hope you enjoy the chapter and I'll try to get out another soon.**

Melinda's fists hit rhythmically against the leather of the punching bag, god she'd missed a luxury like fist fighting. Not many people went hand to hand anymore and just the rhythm of her fists against something solid soothed the war waging inside her.

"Hey!" Melinda spins around as Daisy steps into her space. "You fight too?" Melinda raises her eyebrow at the implication of the sentence. "Oh god no! I can't fight. I meant like… is there anything you don't do? I just watched you take out seven zombies with a piece of piping! Then last week you used a katana to behead a guy."

"Maybe when we get you to the base I'll teach you how to fight." Melinda smiles, not even realizing what she's implying until it's too late.

"You're staying with me?" Daisy's voice is hopeful, pleading almost. It breaks her heart that Melinda hadn't even thought of eventually departing from the girl. She had nowhere else to go really…

"We'll see…" Melinda frowns. She can practically see Daisy deflate so she changes the subject. "Where's Fitzsimmons?"

As if on cue the two scientists burst through the door ceremoniously.

"I'm just saying you don't understand how unhygienic it is to stay in a gym as a temporary hide out." Fitz argues, his steps in tandem with Jemma's.

"What about an apocalypse seems hygienic to you?" Jemma inquires.

"Progress report." Melinda demands effectively silencing the bickering between the pair. They were frightened of her but they respected her. That much was obvious. From Jemma straightening with her orders to Fitz's shameful glance at the floor at being caught in another small argument.

"The liquor store was cleared out but we managed to find two bottles of tequila in the storage. Albeit it is not as good as proper supplies, we'll make do." She nods.

"All houses were wiped clean but I do believe I've gathered all the supplies that I need in order to construct our own water filter so we'll be able to fetch some from the river rather than hunting down bottles and such or risking illness." Fitz finishes.

"And food?" Melinda asks.

This time it's Daisy who cuts in, "Protein bars for days in storage. Thank you Mr. Rock." She jokes holding up what is assumedly a duffel bag full of protein bars.

"Fitz created a barricade for the door. We can rest up here and continue our trek in the morning." Jemma finishes.

"Good." Melinda nods. "Good work." The three smiles make her heart swell. They're pleased with themselves for making her happy. It's so strange that she'd never thought she could step into this position. She never really saw herself as much of a leader. That was Phil's job…

"May?" Daisy's looking at her concerned now.

"You're dismissed." She mutters turning back to the punching bag. She let's out her aggression on the smooth material until she's sure she's alone once more. Memories and tears burn at the back of her eyes threatening to swallow her reality alive.

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They'd been walking for eleven hours now on the road since light broke the sky. Dark, ominous clouds lingered in the air as they walked keeping them sheltered from the sun at least. They'd fallen into a comfortable silence hours ago after Daisy had somehow managed to sing the entire Wicked soundtrack, according to Fitz, without a flaw.

They ran out of water again an hour ago. Melinda had held out hope that they'd come across another river but they'd yet to cross any water yet. She was beginning to believe another search was necessary, the kids did look awfully tired.

Daisy's shoulders are slumped under the weight of her bag. The poor girl looks exhausted. Fitz and Simmons aren't fairing too well either, leaning on each other every few steps for support. Their energy had been zapped from yet another attack of clickers. They'd come close to getting Fitz but Jemma had lept on it's back pulling it away in time for Melinda to shoot it in the head.

With a sudden crack of thunder the sky cracks open in a downpour. They're soaked instantly but the kids don't seem to mind. If anything they appear reinvigorated as they tilt their heads up catching the falling water in their mouth for a drink. Melinda scrambles to get out her canteen to catch some of the water. Cheers erupt from Daisy's lips as she dances in the rain.

"What are you doing?" Jemma shouts over the sound of rain hitting the asphalt.

"I've never seen rain before!" With a spin she's caught Jemma in her grip spinning them around together. She lets out a small chuckle catching a glimpse of Fitz. Her heart sinks in her chest at his expression. His eyes are glued to Jemma. He looks utterly enraptured with every movement, as if every reason he loves her has suddenly hit him. His eyes show off the battle in his head before he's swept up in the dance as well. Their laughter echoes through the empty streets bouncing off of the buildings along with the sounds of the torrents. A cold realization settles over Melinda's heart as she watches the three. Their joy seeping from their bones from something as simple as rain.

They're only kids.

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They'd made their way into an apartment to settle for the night. They'd tossed their wet clothes onto an adjoining balcony as they'd found spare clothes inside. The two girls had gone to bed long ago but sleep evaded Melinda more commonly than it came to her lately. She'd found herself stepping into the kitchen where she found Fitz poking at a bowl of soup looking as if it had offended him in some way.

"I can hear you thinking from over here." Melinda teases lightly.

"Sorry." He mutters. "Couldn't sleep."

"May I?" She pulls out the seat and he only nods slightly. "You love her."

"What? No I-"

"Fitz." She interrupts with a classic mom glare saying 'don't you dare lie to me'.

"Am I that transparent?" He frowns going back to poking at his soup.

"They don't know if that's what you're worried about." Melinda eases him a bit. She sees him relax slightly. So that was it. "I noticed how you were looking at her in the storm."

"I don't know what happened." He sighs pushing the bowl away from him as if it was the object of his frustrations. "This morning she was my best friend and now she's… she's…"

"More than that?" Melinda finishes for him.

"Exactly!" He whisper shouts not wanting to wake the girls just in the next room. "We bicker and fight like siblings but after she lept on that clicker and nearly got bitten for me-"

"You see her differently now."

"Not just now," he argues, "I look back and I notice things I hadn't before. How well I've memorized her features, how she laughed at all my jokes, how I never wanted to be anywhere without her." He lets out a frustrated sigh rubbing the heels of his palms over his eyes tiredly. "She's changed but she hasn't."

"I know what you mean."

"You do?" His eyes brighten and he looks almost hopeful.

"I'd realized it one day after he'd saved me too." Melinda nods. "He had taken a bullet from Hydra for me." Melinda smiles sadly as the memories flash at the back of her eyes once again. "You need to tell her."

"Who do you think I am?" He exclaims, "Some sort of casanova?"

"No." Melinda states standing up. "But if you don't tell her soon you'll realize it's too late."

"Is that what happened to him? You waited too long to tell him?"

"He risked himself for Daisy and I to escape." Melinda frowns wishing the tequila the had in stock wasn't for medical purposes at this moment.

"I love her." He whispers as if it's a secret that will never leave this room.

"I loved him too."


	7. Chapter 7

**Hello I am back once more and let me tell you. I had the best weekend of my life. I met Ming and she's just outrageously beautiful and funny and my heart still gushes just thinking about it. Then I got accepted into a college in Ohio and offered a scholarship that has a four year value of $56,000. So needless to say it's been fucking fantastic. Now, as for the fic as much as I hate spoilers I am obligated to put this for your guys safety** ** _THIS CHAPTER HAS MENTIONS OF SUICIDE AND GRAPHIC DEPICTIONS OF VIOLENCE PLEASE READ AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION_**

The clicks echo through the halls somewhere around midnight, Melinda jerks awake from a fitful sleep to the sound. Softly she lands on the ground arming herself with her nearest items. Two knives, her pistol, and an aluminum baseball bat. She takes the flashlight off the counter being careful when flicking it on, as to not make a noise. She had to warn the others first and foremost.

She makes her way to Fitz's room as it was the closest to the adjoining living room where she had slept on the couch. She flickers the light at his sleeping form in order to wake him without startling him. He stirs slightly peering towards the light sleepily. Melinda shines the flashlight on her own face first signaling him to be quiet, then to listen. His entire body is suddenly jolted awake as he comprehends the sound as well. They're inside. He's quick and quiet in getting up and arming himself as well.

A crash followed by a scream rips through the small apartment. The two of them are forced into action, quiet be damned. They rush to the next bedroom where Daisy has lept onto the black of a clicker burying her own knife into its deformed skull. Quick footsteps echo through the small apartment alluding to the next two sweeping around the corner. Without even blinking, Melinda has two bullets digging into the heads of the zombies watching as they lifelessly drop to the floor.

Daisy rolls off of the collapsed body as they all hold their breath. The only noise now is Jemma's soft sobs. Melinda bursts through the bedroom assessing the situation herself. It looks as if Jemma had woken first, startled by the noise she went to arm herself. However, in the dark she knocked over some dusty antique shattering it on the floor. Jemma was quick, but the clicker was faster. It had advanced upon her and Jemma screamed. Daisy, luckily, had been woken by the crash and, under Melinda's advice, kept a knife stored under her pillow. She'd jumped on it's back and killed the damn thing.

Jemma shakes holding herself in a curled position as she stares horrified at the corpse in front of her. Melinda watches as Fitz drops to his knees in front of her, wrapping her in his arms protectively. Her throat clogs for a second as images flash before her eyes.

 _Coulson's arms wrapping around her as if to protect her from the world. His lips pressed into her hair. His voice whispering that everything would be okay._

She swears she can feel Daisy's eyes on her as she forces herself out of the room.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It's a long time before any of them can get back to sleep, Daisy realizes. Melinda pretends to for an hour before her body finally succumbs to the darkness. She's more affected by this than she wants anyone to realize. Her heart hurt as she watched the conflict behind Melinda's eyes as she watched Fitzsimmons after the attack. Daisy knew who she saw. Even if she'd only known the two of them for a few months she knew she was thinking of Phil. The two didn't exactly hide their feelings for each other. In fact, the only ones who were probably oblivious to the other's feeling was each other. It was sad.

Fitz didn't leave until Jemma made him. That wasn't until two in the morning. She didn't hear his movements stop until around four. Now Daisy was left watching Jemma whose back remained turned to her, staring blankly out the window overlooking the city. The poor girl had almost died and no amount of comfort could snap her out this sudden realism.

It was a crazy thing to think about. The two of them had lived in relative peace until her and Melinda shook up their lives. They were just two scientists trying to get through their lives rather oblivious to what was outside their world and…

"Are you scared of death?" Jemma's voice startles her out of her thoughts. How long did she know that she was watching rather than sleeping? Daisy shoves the covers off herself moving to stand by her side.

"I don't know. Haven't really put much thought into it." She shrugs.

"What about them?" Jemma asks nodding towards lumbering corpses in the dark night. "Do you think a part of them is… still in there?"

"No." Daisy says without hesitation. "I've seen plenty of those things up close. There's nobody left in there."

"If you don't fear death… what do you fear?"

Daisy hesitates for a second really letting the question sink into her bones. Over the past few days she'd watched so many people fall away from her life as quickly as she met them. It was hell. "Being alone." This question only seemed to frustrate her further as her frame folded into itself.

"How can people believe in something after this life?" Jemma asks timidly. Daisy shifts uncomfortably on her feet. "How could a God be so cruel as to let us endure this hell?"

"I had a girlfriend… She was a strong believer in God." Jemma shoots her a glance, first shocked then concerned. "She'd said faith was the only thing she had left in this world besides me. If she had faith that some good would come after this hell we live in… that the hell might be worth it."

"What was her name?" She whispers.

Daisy smiles sadly, "Elena."

"What happened?"

"We went to boarding school together, Elena and I. She got approached by my… handler? His name was Andrew. He was trying to convince kids in the school to join SHIELD. Elena loved the idea and… she was leaving me behind. So we went to the mall for one last hurrah before she went." Daisy laughs at the memory. "We spent the better part of the night trying on ridiculous clothes, eating old junk food and laughing our asses off at some stories we'd told each other hundreds of times." Daisy stares down at the city below her, tears welling in the back of her eyes. "We thought we were immortal."

"No." Jemma whispers.

"We were being too loud… Too careless." Daisy shakes her head at the thought. "We were just laughing and living when suddenly we were surrounded." She takes a deep breath allowing herself to continue as her voice trembles. "I don't even know how I made it out."

"She died…"

"With a smile on her face and holding my hand." Daisy nods.

"She wasn't afraid?"

"No she was…" Daisy contradicts. "But… she knew she had something waiting for her. Something good on the other side. That's what she believed."

"Do you?"

"I wish." Daisy chuckles sadly. She's thrown off as the other woman launches into her arms burying her face in her throat as she wraps her arms around her tightly.

"Thank you Daisy."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Melinda is just beginning to stir the soup as Fitz rises from his slumber.

"Oh hell no." He mutters nudging her out of the way. "Sorry." He mumbles tiredly as he takes over. "I just have no interest in dying of poisoning." It's his small smirk that gives away his playful nature.

"You burn soup once." She mutters with a shake of her head.

"More than once." Fitz defends with a laugh.

"Good mood?" She asks settling onto one of the seats at the table.

"I talked to Jemma like you recommended." He begins with a smile. "She wants to give a relationship a try."

"That's great." Melinda smiles.

"She said she didn't want to waste any more time wondering what if." He grins from ear to ear. "I told her I loved her. She returned the sentiments."

"I'm happy for you Fitz."

"I think we're going to get out of here soon. Move to a safe haven. I don't want to spend another minute of my life living in fear of the monsters outside. I want to raise a family and be happy. I don't want to hide anymore." Melinda moves from her spot at the table going to move to the living room when a loud thump makes itself known to the pair.

"The hell was that?" He asks flipping off the stove.

"Jemma!" Daisy's voice screams as she falls through the door. Jemma's body is visible through the frame, her once pristine skin is now blistering and her teeth are exposed in a snarl. Melinda's stomach sinks in realization. In the frantics of last night she'd forgotten to check for bites… Jemma is infected.

Melinda runs to her back grabbing her pistol as Jemma begins to take off herself. Jemma launches herself at Daisy tackling the younger girl to the ground.

"Jemma!" She screams fearfully. Daisy's got one hand at her throat holding the snarling mouth back from her face and the other is fruitlessly trying to push the weight of Jemma off of her.

A gunshot goes off forcing Melinda away from her pistol as it misses her hand by mere inches. "Don't hurt her!" Fitz screams pointing the gun in her direction. "Don't hurt her!"

"Fitz she's turned!" Melinda shouts trying to reason with her.

"No!" He denies shaking his head feverishly. "No no no!"

"Fitz listen to me!" Another gunshot just misses her leg and she's suddenly not sure if he's missing on purpose anymore.

"Jemma! Please!" Daisy screams. Melinda forces herself into movement diving for her pistol. Another bang echoes through the room, this time filling it with a deadly silence. She looks up at Fitz who's no longer aiming at her.

Jemma's body slumps to the floor lifelessly as Daisy scrambles to sit up. Her hands are over her ears trying to block out all sounds. Melinda rushes to her side wrapping her protectively in her arms. She's shaking and sobbing but she's alive. She's alive…

"No…" Fitz mumbles. Her head rises now to the boy still clutching the gun tightly in his grasp.

"Fitz…" Melinda stands steadily placing both hands out in front of her. "Fitz put the gun down."

"I killed her." He whispers brokenly. His eyes are bloodshot, his eyes glued to Jemma's limp form. "I loved her and I killed her…"

"You didn't have a choice." Melinda coaxes approaching him slowly. "I need you to give me the gun Fitz."

"This is all your fault." His voice is dark now, laced with hatred, loss, grief… "We were living peacefully. We didn't have to worry about a thing and then you ruined it."

"Fitz no."

"This is all your fault!" He shouts pointing his pistol at her. "We were happy! Now she's dead and I'm alone!"

"You're not alone." Daisy sobs.

"Jemma's dead! I have nobody left!" Fitz shouts at her uncharacteristically. "I loved her and now she's dead!"

"I know how you feel Fitz." Melinda tries.

"You have no idea how I feel." He seethes pointing the gun in her direction again. "Jemma and I were going to start fresh. We were going to find somewhere safe and stay there the rest of our lives. Now it's all ruined. She's dead don't you see?! What have I done?" He sobs collapsing in on himself.

Melinda makes quick strides as the gun drops to his side. She's in front of him quickly but it only takes a short moment for him to raise the gun. This time it isn't aimed at her.

The blast echoes off the walls small apartment as blood hits Melinda in the face. Her face is stained with speckles of crimson. She's too late…

Fitz's body collapses limply into her arms as Daisy lets out another horrified scream. A sob catches in Melinda's throat as she settles him to the ground. His eyes stare blankly at the ceiling seeing a world neither of them would get to witness. Bright blue eyes fade into a dull gray and his skin goes cold as she cradles him in her arms. The screaming doesn't end.

She was too late… She couldn't save them.


	8. Chapter 8

**I'm sorry for this delay, I honestly meant to update sooner but if I'm being honest I just had the most relaxing spring break ever. Anyways I hope you enjoy!**

Daisy's shoulders were slumped and it looked as if any minute she would collapse. The week weighed down on her shoulders heavily. It'd only been five days since they'd lost Fitzsimmons. The sight of Fitz's eyes growing distant burned in the back of her brain. Melinda wasn't faring well either. A nasty fall left her with a sprained ankle and she seldom slept. She kept her eyes fixed on Daisy the entirety of the nights, hand poised on her shotgun. She only succumbed to sleep when it was absolutely necessary. She couldn't rest. Not when she only saw their faces in the darkness. Not when she heard their voices screaming her name. She was always too late.

"Mel…" Daisy mutters snapping her out of her reverie. She's not sure when the nickname developed on Daisy's lips. It reminded her of Phil… of Bobbi… It hurt but she didn't dare stop her. Not when they were so close.

Just ahead was a large stone wall lined with barbed wire. Melinda let out a grateful sigh paired with a small smile. It was a rarity but they'd finally made it. It was almost over. Without thinking Melinda stumbles up to the large gate tugging at the handle.

"Hands up!" A gruff voice shouts. Melinda snaps her head back to Daisy to reassure herself that she's not gone. Not like the rest… Daisy has her pistol pointed at the top of the wall where a man sits with a rifle poised straight at her. "Put your weapons down!"

Daisy is the first to drop her pistol to the ground. It was the only thing she was armed with. The only weapon she knew how to operate with the little training Melinda was able to provide on their journey. Melinda tossed her shotgun to the dirt as well as her two pistols and three combat knives. A woman steps out of the gate, glasses poised on the edge of her nose and the ends of her hair dyed pink.

"On your knees." She commands pointing to the ground with the shotgun in her hand. Melinda spies a scanner in the hands of the man behind her and her heart skips several beats. "Now." The woman growls pointing to the spot beside Daisy.

Melinda moves quickly snatching one of the knives from the dirt throwing it into the man's knee. She kicks the tip of the gun to the side as a blast goes off just barely missing her leg. She lets out a cry of pain forgetting about her bad foot in her rush of adrenaline. The woman smacks her in the knee with the butt of her gun before delivering a blow to the side of her head. Her vision is blurry as she coughs into the dirt. Her ears are ringing from the hit and her eyes are heavy with exhaustion. She's gotten a hold of her other knife though. She just needs to stay still enough to catch her off guard…

"Millie!" A familiar voice shouts.

Melinda turns on her back finding the woman pointing her shotgun at her body. Daisy is frozen on her knees, eyes glued to Melinda with fear and confusion reflecting in them.

Maria bounds out of the gates, rifle strapped across her shoulders. "Is that any way to greet your sister in law?" Maria quips, a playful eyebrow raised to her attacker. "I thought I taught you to play nice Tori."

"She attacked first to be fair." 'Tori' remarks. Maria runs over to Melinda offering her a hand. She takes it sluggishly allowing herself to be pulled to her feet.

"You're kidding me right?" Daisy asks. "There's no way this is your sister."

"Practically." Melinda sighs. "She spent six months on my couch so I think she's earned that title."

"I told you that fire was not my fault!" Maria shouts in defense. A pointed look from both her and the woman nicknamed Tori relented her rather quickly. "I try making cupcakes once."

"And that's why I make our meals." Tori says. "Come on. Let's get you both inside."

Melinda went to take a step before the ringing in her ears started up again. Daisy caught the majority of her weight sweeping in under her arm quickly. Maria was right by her side as well.

"You did quite a number on her huh?" Maria jokes and takes her weight off Daisy despite the younger girl's protests.

"She threw a knife into Berkley's knee!" Tori says defensively. "We'll get her to the infirmary. You," She looks to Daisy, "can get acquainted with the others.

"No." Daisy crosses her arms trying her best to appear tough. "I'm staying with Melinda."

"I'm fine."

"You're not fine Mel." She protests, "I know you've hardly slept all week." She frowns.

"Daisy I trust them."

"She just tried to shoot you!" Daisy screams.

"I did stab her colleague."

"Yeah but-"

"No buts." Melinda scolds, "Go make friends." Begrudgingly Daisy walks off with Tori to be greeted by the crowd of other survivalists.

"So what's the story with the girl?" Maria asks as soon as they're alone in the infirmary.

"I'll tell my story if you tell yours." Melinda smirks as she shines a small flashlight into her eyes.

"Deal. You first."

Melinda goes on telling the tale with provided commentary by Maria. By the time she finishes Maria has already assured her she has no concussion and has wrapped her bad ankle.

"So Phil's really gone…" Maria sighs.

"He risked himself because he believed in all of this." She nods.

"And this girl is the cure?"

"That's what Andrew believes. She has to be taken to the lab."

"Well there's only one that I can think of. It's not safe out there right now though Millie."

"I thought I told you not to call me that." Melinda scolds lightly.

"Yeah… Not happening." She says. "I want you both to stay. You need to heal and from what I can tell that girl needs more training."

"But the cure."

"It can wait. We've waited this long." Melinda sighs knowing she's right. "Now let's go show your girl that you're okay before she crawls out of her skin."

"You never told me your story."

"Not much to tell," Maria shrugs, "I met Victoria Hand when she saved my ass from Hydra two years ago. I chipped down her walls and she eventually agreed to marry me." She smiles to herself and it causes a small pang in her chest. That could've been her and Phil if she hadn't have been so stubborn.

"I'm happy for you."

As they step out Daisy is already surrounded by a group of onlookers, all curious to this newcomer. One is a man, taller than them both with a muscular build. He stands out the most in a medical lab coat while the others are in either survivalist gear or their own outfits torn from misuse. The thought brings her eyes to a curly haired girl in a flower dress. It was stained with dirt and frayed at the edges but she somehow manages to keep an air of elegance. Next a pixie haired woman staring at them both with overwhelming curiosity. Finally the freckled man in the back comes to her attention. He's staring at Daisy with skepticism and suspicion, arms crossed over his leather clad chest. She shook off the eery feeling the man gave her, eyes snapping back to Daisy once more. The girl had spotted her and rushes towards her with a smile. It was uncharacteristic for the gloomy girl who'd stayed by her side all this week. It was almost like Daisy could feel the same thing in the air here as she did.

It felt safe.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Close your eyes!" Daisy's voice calls into the gym excitedly. She had been nearly twenty minutes late for training. Melinda had half a mind to go find her and another half to make today's lesson excruciating. "I have a surprise."

"A surprise that warrants being twenty minutes late?" Melinda quips but regardless she does as the girl says. They'd been here for seven months now. Melinda was familiar with the atmosphere and knew almost every name on base. They called this place the Hub and Victoria was in charge. You were divided into different sectors based on skill set. Lincoln, the man she'd met in the lab coat months ago, was the head of the medical sector. Raina is the head of communications. She was in charge of submissions into the Hub and Melinda was not exactly pleased with the four hour interrogation. Robbie, the man in leather, was their scavenger. He was one of few allowed to leave the base. Melinda hardly didn't hear about the man as Daisy constantly gushed about his car Lucy. She had to admit it was a pretty impressive car.

"About that…" Melinda rolls her eyes but keeps them closed. She, herself, had been assigned to training. She trained multiple agents including Daisy and the curious eyed girl who'd revealed her name to be Piper. "Okay. Open."

When Melinda opened her eyes Daisy was standing in front of her but something was different. Her hair was cut above her shoulders and much darker than before. Melinda couldn't help but smirk slightly. The past few months here had been good for Daisy. Not being around death all the time and being able to act her age… Besides that she'd quickly become her best trainee, proficient in any gun Melinda handed her. She'd even managed to pin her a few times. Of course she'd been able to free herself just as quickly but she still counts it.

"You like it?"

"It looks great." Melinda chuckles lightly. As much as she was begrudging to admit it, it brought a reality to her. She didn't really need Melinda anymore and it was beginning to get to a time that she should leave.

"What's that look?" Daisy frowns. A downside of all their time spent together, Daisy could now read her almost as well as Phil did.

"I think it's time I leave." Melinda says slowly.

"By time." Daisy laughs. "I was beginning to wonder when we'd get on the go again. I know my training is important but I think I'm ready now."

"No Daisy." Melinda sighs. "Maria will take you to the lab. I'm leaving."

Daisy steps back as if she'd just struck her. She might as well have… "You're leaving me?"

"You don't need me to take you to the lab and Maria is much better at handling what SHIELD has."

"You're kidding right?" Daisy scoffs. "You've got to be messing with me right now."

"Daisy…"

"No!" She flinches back as she tries to reach for her. "You don't get to just leave me!" She snaps.

"Da-"

"No." Then she's gone, running out as quickly as she'd come in.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It's nearly sunset when she finally finds her. Daisy had taken a horse and ridden it off base and into the woods. Melinda finds the mare tied to a porch outside of a house that is seemingly abandoned. She frowns as she walks inside, keeping her pistol drawn just in case. She finds her on the top floor in a room that looks like it belonged to a girl only a little younger than Daisy.

"Is this really all they had to worry about? If their skirt matches their top?" Daisy asks after she picks up on Melinda's footsteps. She's holding a journal up against her folded knees. Melinda can still see the tear tracks on her face.

"We need to talk." Melinda frowns.

"What is there to talk about? You're leaving me and I'm gonna become some kind of lab rat." Daisy frowns stubbornly.

"Is that what you're afraid of? Becoming a lab rat?" Melinda moves to sit across from her and stays after she doesn't stop her. "You don't have to do this."

"You really don't get it do you?" Daisy scoffs. "I'm going to the lab with or without you. You're gonna leave me there just like everyone else."

"Daisy…"

"First my parents sent me away to military camp then died while I was there, Elena died on me, then Andrew left, Phil, Mack, Fitzsimmons, and now you?" Daisy rolls her eyes burying her face in her legs when her tears betray her. "You'd think I'd be used to people leaving me by now."

"Elena?"

"She was my best friend." Daisy sighs. "We went to military school together when she disappeared. I didn't see her for days. Then one day she's at my window, telling me that I gotta come with her. It was the best night of my life. We went to an abandoned mall and stayed there all night. In the heat of the moment I'd told her I loved her. She kissed me." Daisy smiles sadly, "We had a hell of a time apparently because we drew attention of a hourde." Her body shakes with the pain of the memory. "We were surrounded and she decided we'd go out together. It was supposed to be poetic I guess. Like Romeo and Juliet?" She shakes her head as more tears escape. "That was the day I found out I was immune."

"Daisy…"

"So go ahead and leave. I don't care."

"I do." Melinda frowns but it seems Daisy isn't listening anymore. "I remember the start of the apocalypse… You weren't even born yet." This seems to catch Daisy's attention enough but she continues anyways. "It was the day after my birthday and I got home late from work. Some girl had managed to hack into SHIELD's database. Now this was SHIELD as an organization, not a rebellious movement." She clarifies when Daisy opens her mouth to speak. "I found my daughter Bobbi waiting on the couch for me, asleep." Melinda shakes her head when Daisy goes to speak again. "Not my biological daughter. I adopted her after I found her at a murder scene. Her parents had been killed."

"Whoa…"

"That night there was a gas leak. Hundreds in the city became sick instantly. Had I stayed behind twenty minutes longer, I would have too." Melinda sighs. "That night Maria picked us both up and we fled the city. Along the way I could see her best friend's house up in flames. Hunter was a pain in the ass but he was good to Bobbi…" Melinda swallows heavily, "We got into a wreck when we reached the city. Bobbi broke her ankle and couldn't walk so I had to carry her to the highway. Maria stayed behind to fight off people infected by the gas." Melinda bites her lip staring out the window now. "That night Hydra found Bobbi and I hiking up to the highway… They found no use for us. So they shot."

"No…"

"Bobbi died in my arms. Just like Fitz." Melinda blinks away the tears now building. The only other person she dared talk to about this was Phil. Now it felt right though. "I would've died too if it hadn't have been for Maria."

"Shit May… I didn't know. I-" A shot from the distance shatters the window showering the two of them in glass shards.

"Get to the roof!" Melinda shouts over the noise pulling Daisy off the bench. She passes her the sniper. "Go now!" Daisy nods running off.

Melinda scouts the house taking out the two inside easily. Pushing a dresser in front of the stairs, she sets up a barricade for Daisy at least. Melinda runs out into the yard finding four of them already dead. Melinda shoots two hiding in a bush near their horses. A man takes a shot knocking one of the horses to the ground dead. Melinda curses under her breath but Daisy's already got the man covered. A woman daringly charges Melinda tackling her to the ground. Melinda flips them with ease knocking the woman out with three punches to the temple. A final shot rings through the air taking out the man who'd lingered behind her.

Melinda peers up through the darkness at Daisy. Even in the dim light shining from the moon she can see Daisy's beaming smile. She waves her down after another round of checking indicating that it's safe.

"Let's get you to that lab." Melinda smiles patting Daisy on the shoulder as a sign of how proud she is.

"So you're staying with me?"

"Yeah. I'm staying."


	9. Chapter 9

**Hello guys! We're actually nearing the end of this story believe it or not! Just four chapters left in this story. Stay tuned to see how it ends**

Daisy and May rode in peaceful silence as they breached the hill before them. Just over the ridge they could make out a glass building shining in midday light. It was a breathtaking sight to behold. The two of them had fought for so long and now they've finally arrived.

"Hold on Daisy." Melinda warns before whipping the horse into a gallop. They speed down the streets coming to the building within minutes. Daisy ties the mare to the post wringing her hands together hesitating on stepping inside. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Daisy breathes uneasily, "I'm happy." A pointed look from Melinda quickly shuts her down. "Okay I'm nervous."

"About?"

"What if it doesn't work?" Daisy asks, "Going all this way for nothing… What if I…"

"Daisy?"

Her voice cracks a little betraying her emotions, "What if I die?"

"I won't let that happen." Melinda's voice is hard now as she grabs Daisy by the shoulders. "I will do everything in my power to protect you." With that Daisy throws her arms around the older woman wrapping her in a fierce hug. She hesitates for only a brief second before relaxing in the girl's tight hold. It was a quiet moment of peace they rarely had. Might as well absolve every second.

They part too soon for Melinda's liking stepping inside the place. The inside is potentially even more gorgeous than the outside. Vegetation climbs up buildings that were long abandoned and green seems to stretch everywhere. Everything is bright it almost looks deceptively like serenity.

"Do you have your equipment?" Melinda asks as they come to a door.

"Walkie talkie, rope, sniper, two pistols with eight extra rounds of ammo, three hunting knives."

"Good." Melinda nods in approval, "I think we need to split up and check the rooms. This place looks practically abandoned but Maria said they might have relocated. We need to look for any sign of where they went."

"I'll start upstairs. You start down here." Melinda nods splitting off into a separate section. She pulls out her pistol combing through each of the rooms carefully. It isn't until she reaches what looks like a seminar room that she even finds anything worth noting. There's two bodies on the ground, each with a bullet in their skulls and a gun in their own respective hands. Melinda could spy the bite marks on each of their arms. Probably discovered each other and tried to take out the other before they got the chance. Oh well.

The bodies aren't what's worth noting, however. Rather the large scale symbol painted onto the pulled down screen. In dark black it's obvious that it's a bird inscribed in a circle. Beneath it is an address. She recognizes it as a university two cities over. Not far but it still means they weren't quite there yet.

"Damn it." Melinda curses chiming into the walkie talkie. "They had to move. I've got coordinates for their new location meet me-" Melinda's voice is cut off by a bullet shattering the window next to her, showing her body in glass.

"May? May are you alright?" Daisy demands.

"Get your sniper and get on the roof. We're under attack." Melinda growls turning her radio off. She knocks a table onto its side getting behind the thing for at least a little bit of cover. She waits until she hears the footsteps come into the room before popping up and shooting both of the men dead where they stand. She combs through the building being sure to eliminate each of the targets as they reveal themselves. All of them are armed but none of them appear to have much training as they are clumsy and generally unaware of her presence before she's able to shoot them. By the time they see her it's already too late for them. She makes it easily to the fourth floor.

She steps inside what looks like a room that was used for old carpentry classes when she's suddenly ambushed from the side. The man is slightly taller than her and thick in build. He's definitely more trained than the others as he manages to unarm her in her shock. Her gun skitters across the floor as he knocks her over. She flips him onto his back nailing two punches into his jaw before he grabs a hold of her collar throwing her above him. Scrambling up, she runs to the other side of the room to fetch her gun. She'd been so sure of herself that she'd given Daisy most of her weapons and left the rest on the horse. It'd worked out for her until now.

Something sharp makes contact with her spine sending her sprawling once again. She hisses kicking out the knee of the man now looming over her. He comes down next to her bringing down the piece of lumber harshly just missing her shoulder. She picks herself up grabbing the nearest tool and swinging it at him. He catches the end of the cord as the blade slices into his arm. He tugs her towards him managing to get the damned thing wrapped around her throat.

"Give up now. It'll be a lot easier for the both of us." He smirks tugging tighter. She heaves struggling for breath now. "Maybe we'll just kill you both quickly if you cooperate." At mention of Daisy Melinda drops her weight dead shocking him enough to flip him over her shoulder and through the plaster wall. She advances as he's picking himself off the ground. He's just on his knees when she delivers a blow to his temple. He's disoriented as she roundhouses him. His body flops satisfyingly onto the ground. Melinda fetches her pistol ready to finish him when another body intercepts hers.

This man is much bigger, heavy in weight and incredibly tall in height. He has one massive hand wrapped around her throat as he drags her out of the room into the hallway. His body pushes hers against the railing, the only thing keeping them both from tumbling to the clearing below. She can hear gunshots going off from above still indicating Daisy is okay. He's spitting something unintelligible into her ear. She can't make out the rough voice when her ears are ringing with her brain's effort to achieve what little oxygen she can.

He yanks her forwards and shoves her back once more screaming in her face. "Answer me!" She didn't even hear the question. He does it again and again insisting that she answer the question she never even heard in the first place. Suddenly metal gives a terrible lurching sound, years of abuse by weather and warped conditions leave it in less than regulations. With once more heavily slam of both their weights into the railings it gives away.

Hot pain sears through her as her body makes contact with the ground. She'd landed on her back in soft grass but her vision was beginning to grow white. Sucking in a greedy breath she looks down to analyze the situation. The man is dead not far from her feet, his own weight carrying him head first into the ground. Pain shoots through her abdomen as she registers what had happened to herself. A piece of rusted, broken metal spears her lower stomach pooling crimson around her.

Blurrily she can make out Daisy's shape as she slides down the rope to the clearing below. "May!" She calls. "No no no no…" She comes down roughly onto her knees shoving her jacket off wrapping it around the wound. It was no use. Blood was already pouring out and soaking the cloth.

"Daisy." She whispers. "Go."

"No I'm not leaving you May."

"Not an option."

"Yes it is. Now grab onto me I gotta pull you off. We gotta run."

"Daisy move!" She shouts in pain.

"No!" With all of the strength Melinda can muster she yanks herself up slightly off of her back. Pressure fills her abdomen causing more crimson to spill out. Just as she does the double doors burst open and three men with guns file in. Melinda shoots two of them and Daisy takes care of the third. Melinda flops back closing her eyes as a wave of dizziness sweeps over her. Blackness teases the edges of her vision tempting her into sleep. "May you need to stay awake for me. This is going to hurt a lot okay?" With that Daisy pulls.

A scream rips from her throat as she's lifted off. Melinda holds her wound as she pitches forwards. Bile fills her throat with the pain that seems to course through her entire body. They needed to move though. It's not safe here. Daisy ducks under her arm against her protests guiding them both out of the building.

White sweeps over her eyes as her feet catch. Melinda falls to the ground as her world begins ringing once more.

" _Let go Melinda. It's okay. You've done all you can."_ A familiar voice coos in her ear.

"Phil." She sobs. She's missed him so much.

" _Let go Lin. I've got you."_

She can still hear Daisy's screaming as darkness envelops her.


	10. Chapter 10

**Thank you all for all of the support especially off the last chapter (given it was a lot of "how could you"s but still counting it). It truly has given me another boost to power through this chapter and actually next to the first few chapters, this is my proudest chapter yet. I'm really happy with it. I'm not too sure how quickly I'll be able to post for the next two weeks. I've got AP exams next week, senior exams the week after as well as tech week and my final performance… yay. Anyways as of now there's only three chapters left! I hope you guys have been enjoying the story and stick around to the (bitter) end.**

An arrow zips through the sky tearing through the bitter cold towards its target. Daisy almost smiles as the arrow perfectly pierces the rabbit. She ties her mare to the tree quickly going to fetch her prey. The snow crunched loudly under her boots but she needed to hurry. Just as she bent down to fetch the rabbit, she spies movement out of the corner of her eyes. A flash of brown fur dashes between the trees. For a moment Daisy swears she is hallucinating. It'd been months since she had last seen a deer. Her stomach growls impatiently. A deer could feed her for at least a week maybe two if properly preserved. She bites her lip notching an arrow.

She holds her breath as she begins the chase. She can't help it. It's a habit. She can feel the beat of her heart thrumming rhythmically against her chest. Drawing her bow back she slowly lets out the breath she was holding and lets it fly. She smirks slightly as the beast rears back with the shot. It's pierced the stomach. Not a killing shot but it'll bleed out soon enough. The thing runs as fast as it can with the injury. She's sure she's going to lose it if she doesn't pick up the pace.

Daisy pants as she comes upon an abandoned farm. She smiles as she spies the thing collapsed in the snow. Just as she's about to sheath her arrow she's got set two figures emerge from the other side of the woods coming quickly upon her kill.

She fires her shot into the wood of the barn. "Hey!" She calls out viciously. The figures freeze as she makes her way up to them. She's already got another poised and ready as she stands protectively over her kill. "Move one inch and I put one right between his eyes." She warns gesturing at the shorter figure. As she focused on them she could identify both as men, one European looking and the other white. The European's eyes flashed to the taller man, he simply nodded for him to put his hands up. Good. Maybe this will be easy.

"Sir you can't be serious." Again the taller one holds up a hand.

"What's your name?" The man asks.

"What's it to you?" She snarls.

"Fine." He nods with a clipped smile. One that looked like it could cut. "My name is Grant Ward. This is my partner Sunil Bakshi." Ward states gesturing to his begrudging partner. "We're from a colony full of women and children. They're all starving and need food. We just want half of the deer."

"Yeah well I'm from a colony too." Daisy lies easily. "Women and children. Lots of them."

"Please. We can trade just about anything. Is there something you need?" The man, Ward, pleads. As she studies him he doesn't look too much older than herself. Definitely younger than Bakshi so how was it that he was in charge between the two?

"We have weapons, water, medicine, ammuni-"

"Medicine!" She shouts cutting off Bakshi in the middle of his sentence. "Do you have antibiotics?"

"We do. Just follow us."

"No!" Daisy snaps again. "I'm not going anywhere. Bakshi can go get the medicine. If you have what I need… it's yours."

"Deal."

"But sir!"

"Go Bakshi." Ward commands. With a hesitant look the man is trudging through the snow alone.

"I want your rifle too." Daisy demands feeling a little too confident in her negotiations. Sure enough he tosses the weapon knocking a bit of the snow up onto her boots sending a cold chill through her body.

"Can we get inside at least? I can tell you're cold. I've got dry firewood and matches in my bag." Hesitantly Daisy nods to the deer gesturing for him to grab it. As he drags it to the barn she switches from her bow and arrow to the rifle keeping the gun trained on him. In silence they set up the fire. She sets the gun down carefully making sure to keep it near just in case but her fingers were going numb even under the three layers of gloves. "So…"

"Not bonding time."

"What? You're not going to tell me your name you could at least tell me who you're doing this for. Someone had to teach you how to shoot like that."

"My name is Skye. The medicine is for my mother. We ran into a group of scavengers and she got hurt… really bad." It's not entirely a lie. She'd gone by the name Skye for the first thirteen years of her life until Andrew told her about her parents. Melinda might as well be her mother with all she had done for her. Just the thought of possibly losing her tossed her stomach and had tears welling in her eyes. It'd been nearly three weeks since Melinda had fallen off the horse nearly bleeding out in the middle of the road.

"Sounds like a fighter to me."

"You have no idea." Daisy laughs sadly.

"No I get it." He shrugs. "My brothers… may they rest in peace… they were both good fighters. Taught me nearly everything I know about fist fighting at least. Being the middle child wasn't the easiest." Daisy almost catches herself smiling at his reminiscing. "But my older brother… something snapped. He tried killing us both. Almost succeeded too." He raises his shirt showing a nasty looking scar across his abdomen.

"Yikes."

"Yeah… Had to stitch it up myself."

"You're good at that?"

"Better than most. My godfather taught me basic medicine."

"Do you think…" Daisy drones off. She knows this is a bad idea. She hardly knows this man. Sure he's barely older than her but she's positive she can't take him in hand to hand. Melinda has taught her a lot but from the sounds of it he's skilled as well.

"What?" She's out of options though. Melinda is miles away and likely catching an infection, a cold, or worse.

"Can you help me take care of my mother? In trade I'll hunt for you. I'm much lighter on my feet than either of you." Ward smiles for a second before nodding.

"Yeah." A sudden groaning interrupts them before the door smashes open. "Get down." Daisy drops her head on instinct just before three gunshots go off. She looks up in a mixture of pissed and startled. Ward is still on the ground with a pistol in his hand.

"Seriously?"

"You never asked if I had any other weapons." He shrugs. "At least you know I didn't shoot you." He smiles again and damn it. She huffs leading him out of the barn to check for more. Just as they finish she spies Bakshi running up with a book bag in hand.

"Syringes and antibiotics." His thick accent cuts with otherwise unexpressed anger. He doesn't like the arrangement.

"Take the deer. I'm going with the girl."

"What?"

"We've made a deal. I help her, she helps us. We'll meet up here once a week to trade food and antibiotics." With a pat on the arm Ward wishes the man a goodbye and they're on their way.

Surprisingly Ward is silent on the walk. She expected pressuring questions, demands to know more, and generally being annoyingly charming. She grabs the mare tying the rabbit she'd secured to her own belt to its saddle. He keeps his expression neutral until they approach the abandoned home. Daisy climbs in through the window throwing her own bag onto the couch, dust flying up in it's wake. She would've used it had it not been for her reluctance to leave Melinda's side.

Daisy scampers down the stairs quickly spying the woman in the middle of the floor. She was laying on an old mattress with a blanket strewn across her legs. She must've thrashed it off in her sleep. Her skin is a sickly pale and she's shivering. It breaks her heart to see the woman so weak.

Ward is by Melinda's side quickly preparing what he needs. Daisy lifts her shirt cutting the bandage she'd secured around her waist this morning. She'd spied new ones in his bag. Those would be better. Ward peers at the messy stitches Daisy had done through tears from weeks ago.

"Good thing is, it's not infected." He states. "Though I'll need to redo them if she's to heal properly." Daisy nods understanding and watches him as he works. He injects Melinda with the antibiotic first. Her body jerks at the invasion but she doesn't wake. His hand is steady, eyes focused as he fixes the stitches. It's almost fascinating to watch.

For the first time in weeks Daisy allows herself to truly sleep.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

They go on like this for four weeks. Melinda has drifted in and out of consciousness but besides that generally remains unresponsive. If that worries Ward he sure as hell doesn't show it.

Daisy catches him sleeping in a nearby chair she'd set up for him in the basement to allow him to watch over Melinda during the night. Sometimes her terrors would become so violent that she'd almost tear her stitches. Since then Bakshi also packed sedatives in those cases. Daisy hated it but she knew it was necessary.

A small groan startles Daisy from her thoughts. Melinda's eyes are open, peering at her through the darkness.

"Daisy?" She grumbles, words slightly slurred. So she'd received a dosage of sedative today…

"Hey." Daisy rushes to her side dropping to her knees. "You're awake."

"What the hell happened?"

"You got into a scuff with a scavenger. You took a fall and got pierced by some rebar." Just bringing the incident to memory had Daisy's face running warm and tears welling in her eyes. "I thought I was going to lose you."

"Never." Weakly Melinda brings a cold hand to her cheek. Daisy lets out an overjoyed sob as she feels her wipe a tear away. The moment is cut off quickly as May goes stiff, eyes trained behind her. "Who the hell is that?"

"That's Ward." Daisy eases. "He's been helping me take care of you in exchange for hunting."

"We need to go." Melinda tries to get up but her movements are slow, riddled with weeks of misuse.

"Whoa. You're still not in condition to go anywhere. You're almost healed. Just another week."

"No Daisy listen to me." Daisy's mouth shuts at the firm command. "You need to run."

"Why?"

"Because that's one of the scavengers from the lab. I fought him before I fell." Daisy's blood runs cold. Did he recognize Melinda? Surely not if he'd helped her. "Go. I can stall."

"No May. I'm not leaving without you." Melinda's eyes are closing already, though, drowsiness overwhelming her body.

"No no no!" She cries. "May wake up!" Her heart is pounding against her chest. She has to do something. Get her gun. Get armed.

"May should've kept her mouth shut." A cold voice growls in her ear. Ice pours down her spine at the noise. She'd trusted him. Both of them. They'd known all along, Daisy realizes now. They had been playing her for a fool the entire time. Why was he helping her though? Why did he try so hard to save the both of them when he could've easily taken them both out in their sleep: unguarded and never the wiser. Venom fills her heart with anger. She tries to recall every bit of training she's had. How easily she could flip him over her back and fight with all of her might. But if this man was still alive he must've put up a hell of a fight. Daisy silently wonders to herself if that scar was really from his brothers or if it was from May. At the moment a dark part of her wishes for the latter. "And here I thought you'd be so… cooperative."

Melinda's still form is the last thing Daisy sees before the butt of his pistol makes contact with her temple, sending her world spiraling into darkness.


	11. Chapter 11

**Here we go guys! Only two chapters left in this fic and we've come so far! I'm so sorry I didn't get to this sooner but I have taken on a prompt and I've been working on that. Also I did my final high school performance as well as struggling through exams. It's been an interesting week to say the least. Who's ready for the finale! (Not me)**

Daisy groans lightly as she forces her eyes open. Her body is heavy and lethargic. Her head hurts a lot. She surveys the area trying to determine where she is. The ground beneath her was just dirt, the wooden floors rotted from years of misuse. There was a filthy mattress and a bucket in the corner… gross. She shakes her head once more noticing the bars mere not even 2 feet from her face. So she's a prisoner now. Lovely.

Wait. Where's May?

The thought has her springing up despite her body's protest. Her head spins with the movement tipping the world on it's axis. She holds onto the bars for support as her world turns upside down. Through the mixed vision she spies the body bag sprawled across the table, the glaring shape of a corpse filling it. A hand pokes out of the bag, falling off the table. Through the open zipper she spies matted dark hair. She can't help the cry that rips from her throat. Her observation kicks in more and more as her world stills. An axe lies not far from the bag, stuck by the blade into the table with dried blood coating it. Next the scattered body parts in the corner.

Another scream echoes on the empty walls as she stumbles to the opposite side of the prison. Her captor rushes into the room, gun clasped in his grimy hands.

"Christ, the way you were screaming I thought a walker had broken in." Ward laughs shaking his head.

"What did you do to her!" She screams, tears building in her eyes.

"Who her?" He asks pointing at the bag. "Oh, you mean your mother. What was her name? Ah… Melinda." He smirks. "Don't worry. I'm not dumb. I know you won't cooperate if she's dead. She's alive. Heavily medicated but alive." He steps towards her sliding a tray of suspicious looking food underneath the gate.

"I'm not eating that!" She exclaims.

"It's deer. The one you got more specifically." He says with a sigh.

"What? You fattening me up for the slaughter?"

"Cannibalism is only our option when we're running… low." He grimaces. Something about the way he says it has blood curling down her spine.

"That's why you need me." She realizes.

"Precisely." He nods with a hollow smile and piercing eyes. "You're the best hunter I've ever seen. Join us and we can be great." She keeps her tight lipped silence staying stubbornly still. "Very well. You'll change your mind yet."

Daisy shuts her eyes tightly as the door slams shut and she's alone once more. A minute of silence passes before she shuffles over to the gate. She swallows the bile in her throat reluctantly eating her foot. If she were to try and escape she'd need to fill up. She almost sighs in relief at the familiar taste of deer. Melinda had stocked up for a week while teaching her how to properly skin the things. Tears build in her eyes at the memories. She needs to break them out. Both of them.

She gets on her knees inspecting the lock from the inside. Standard, nothing complicated. Albeit a little rusted from time. Daisy lets out an even breath as she pulls a bobby pin from the tangled strands of her hair. At least he'd been moronic enough to not check for those. She slips her hands through the bars trying to recall training she'd done with Maria. Just envision the inside of the lock, jimmy the clip, and _click._

She bites her cheek to hold in the cry of victory. The lock slides open obediently twisting in her fingers. She slips through the gate walking up to the table. Her stomach turns as she sees the glassy eyes peeking up at her through the blackness. The only distinguishable feature she could make out was a scar marring the side of the woman's face. It looked like some terrible burn. She shakes her head disregarding the figure. She's dead. Nothing more can be done for her. Daisy grabs the axe continuing on her way.

She edges through the building carefully looking for May. There are guards littered everywhere but she's learned from the best when it comes to not being heard. She knows how to sneak past them especially if they're not looking for anyone in particular.

Suddenly a siren echoes through the building ending her silent run.

Not good.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

May opens her eyes slowly, the lids still heavy with medication. She takes in her surroundings sucking in an even breath. Nobody was around and a siren was definitely sounding. She was handcuffed to a metal table, a thin sheet protecting her from the cool air. Two IVs were stuck into her arm, one pumping fluid and the other medicine. Carefully she tears them from her arms. Her movements are slow, not anywhere near coordinated. She swings herself off the table only to collapse to her knees upon contact with the floor.

She spies three more tables next but the bodies on them were still and grey. They were long gone… A woman with bright blonde hair, another with brunette hair and smeared red lipstick, and a man with his leg amputated just above the knee. Melinda shakes the feeling of eerie familiarity and continues her exploration.

She studies a series of chemicals in syringes lying dormant on a counter before she spies a test tube.

 _Epinephrine, emergency dose._

She snatches it as quickly as her tired body will allow. She can already hear Phil's voice in her ear scolding her for even thinking of the idea. That doesn't stop her though. She snatches a syringe carefully pulling the liquid from its container. She jabs the needle into her arm just as a scream echoes through the base.

"Daisy." She whispers panic filling her bones. She shoots the medicine into her system ignoring the logical part of her brain that still suspiciously sounds like Phil.

Her fingers tremble as the syringe slips from her arm shattering on the ground. Two figures burst into the room at the sound. She charges without hesitation using one of the guard's legs to push off of and kick the other in the face before he can even react. She wraps her leg firmly around the neck of the one she'd used as a brace flipping him onto the ground. She snaps his neck stopping the struggle quickly. Snagging the gun from the now dead fingers, she fires into the body of the other guard assuring herself that he won't be getting up.

Melinda raids both bodies as quickly as she can snatching any weapon she can get her fingers on. She combs through the building with ease, energy shaking her bones though her fingers remain steady. It isn't until she stumbles onto the makeshift kitchen that she freezes. There's an open fire in the middle of the room letting smoke out through the hole in the roof. In the corner is scattered body parts, some cooked some not. Disgust fills her every being. They were going to eat them. Her and Daisy both. She snags the edge of one of the logs hurling it at the wall. The old wood catches easily crackling into a wild flame. That ought to distract a few of them.

The fire built quickly as she makes her way quickly to the source of the scream. It almost seems to follow Melinda as she seeks her revenge. Nobody hurt her family and survived.

Flames crawl across her veins as she spies Ward. He looms over a collapsed Daisy, an axe in one hand and a pistol in the other. Her nose twitches and she sees red before she charges. Leaping onto his back she throws him off balance.

Ward leans down managing to hook his fingers onto the back of her shirt throwing her across the room. She slides on the dust coated floor smacking into the wall. She scrambles up grabbing the closest thing to her and hurling it at him. He deflects the item easily with the axe. His body hunches over as he comes after her. Melinda acts quickly firing the gun into his shin. She only has two bullets left and she very much plans on emptying both into his skull.

He collapses satisfyingly giving her time to get to her feet. She scales him once more as he struggles to stand. Wrapping both legs around his body she steadies herself on his shoulders smacking him repeatedly with the butt end of her pistol. Finally she tips her weight forwards flipping him over with her. He manages to escape her grip, however, pinning her to the floor instead fingers clasped around her throat.

Her adrenaline isn't quite out as she flails her legs catching him where she'd shot him in the shin. It's not much of a reaction but it's enough to loosen the grip around her neck. The flames lick up the walls of the room they occupy, smoke steadily climbing. Melinda steadies her other foot using the newfound control to surge her hip upwards flipping him off of her. She struggles to the place where her pistol had scattered to in the scuffle. She flips around quickly firing into his chest just as he was moving to stand.

Ward's body crumbles to the ground with dead weight. Melinda squints in the heavy air. Visibility was already becoming hard. She stands with a cough. The air was too thick now. She needed to get out but her limbs were already beginning to grow heavy once more. She stands over the body and without shame she fires her final bullet in between his eyes.

Melinda stumbles through the smoke filled room to where Daisy still lied motionless. She collapses by her side feeling for a pulse. She almost lets out a sob of relief as she feels it steady and consistent against her fingertips. She's okay. Just unconscious.

Exhaustion and medication fills her again sweeping over her world. It feels like she's dragging through honey as she registers pain in her abdomen. Sure enough she can feel warmth soaking through her shirt and her fingers come back crimson. She'd torn her stitches at one point in their battle.

"They're in here sir!" Melinda hears a shout but her mind is too fuzzy. Her limbs fail her as she falls next to Daisy. She stares at the crackling wood surrounding her blankly. Heavy feet stomp into the room but she doesn't have any fight left in her. Darkness is already consuming her. Fingers cradle the back of her head lifting her gently. Through the smoke and flames she's able to make out the shadow of a figure leaning over her.

"It's okay Melinda. I've got you."


	12. Chapter 12

**So since my last update I've listened to the entire soundtrack of Heathers… That ought to atone for how this chapter is going to go… Especially since I had Dead Girl Walking (Reprise), Yo Girl, and Meant to be Yours stuck on repeat while writing… Anyways I hope you enjoy. Only the epilogue left after this!** **So since my last update I've listened to the entire soundtrack of Heathers… That ought to atone for how this chapter is going to go… Especially since I had Dead Girl Walking (Reprise), Yo Girl, and Meant to be Yours stuck on repeat while writing… Anyways I hope you enjoy. Only the epilogue left after this!**

The steady beeping fills Melinda's ears sending a chill down her spine. God she hates hospitals. She allows her body to move slowly first taking inventory of all the things hooked to her. Two IVs, a heart monitor, a hand. Melinda jerks her fingers back snapping her eyes open.

A blurry shape forms in front of her eyes filling her with disappointment. It had sounded so much like…

" _It's okay Melinda. I've got you."_

"Andrew…" She croaks out. "How?" Patiently Andrew reaches over holding up a cup to her lips.

"We had a spy in that camp. They called themselves The Hive." He explains. "They ran us out of the last lab. So we set up a role when we got a call about a woman and a girl they'd brought in. I knew it was you. We got to you as fast as we could. Thank god you're both safe."

"How long have I been out?" Melinda asks moving to sit up. "Where's Daisy? Is she okay?"

"About a week now. I know you know better than to mix an anesthesia with Epinephrine. Then that on top of tearing stitches you could've killed yourself."

"My only job is to protect Daisy." Melinda deadpans drawing a sigh from Andrew's lips. "You look better than the last time I saw you."

"Some of the best Doctors we've got here."

"Not the best." Melinda murmurs sadly remembering Fitzsimmons.

"What?"

"It's nothing." She huffs. "Where's Daisy."

"She's being prepped for surgery now."

"Pre-" Melinda's eyes widen. "You said we were safe. Is she okay?"

"More than okay." Andrew smiles. "We've found the source of the cure."

"Why does she need to go into surgery then?" Melinda shakes her head trying to make sense of the situation as Andrew begins pulling the IVs off her.

"The cause of the cure are growths on her brain. We just need to tap into them and do some experiments and I think we'll have the cure."

"Her brain? Your doctors may be good but they're not good enough to keep her alive through that process." His head drops to look at the floor. No… "You're going to kill her…"

"You've done the protecting you've needed to. Your mission is complete. You can go home now." Andrew frowns.

"No I can't! She's all I have left and you're killing her!"

"Coulson…" He shakes his head. "I'm so sorry Melinda."

"Then fix this!" She pleads.

"I can't. We need this cure to save us." He explains calmly gripping her shaking fingers in his.

"Find another cure!"

"There is no other cure Melinda!" He shouts in her face gripping her hands harshly. Melinda snatches her fingers away trying to will away the tears threatening to shield her view. "She's not Bobbi!" Spiders crawl down her back causing anger to bubble in her stomach.

"She's a child!" She shouts back as the damned tears spill over her cheeks. "You're killing a child!"

"It's for the greater good. You should understand that more than anyone else especially after Bahrain." Melinda flinches back at his words as if she were burned. "Shit Mel… I'm sorry it just came ou-"

"Don't call me that." She growls. "You don't deserve to call me that."

"I'm sorry." Then he's got his grip secured around her again. A click causes her to freeze in her place. "Davis." He calls nodding to her. Handcuffs lock her wrists together. They're taking her away…

Davis grips her upper arm pulling her out of the bed. She snatches herself away once again walking obediently down the hall. Andrew didn't dare follow. She needed a plan. She waited until they were in the stairwell. She'd have time here. Melinda tenses purposely tripping on a step and rolling to the bottom of the floor. Davis rushes over to her placing his gun on the ground. "Hey are you okay?" So they don't want her dead. That'd be comforting if it were the same way both sides. Melinda flips herself kicking the gun down the next staircase. She flips over Davis's back using the cuffs as a strangling method.

"Where is Daisy?" She growls in his ear. "Where's the Operating room?"

"Fi- fifth floor." He gasps. "Room f-f- five thirty-six." Choking on the little air she's allowing him he sobs out a plea. "Please d-d-don't kill me! My d- daughter was just born. L-l-let me go… I'll let you g-go." Melinda's heart sinks as she cuts his air supply off completely. Once he goes limp she lets him go. She hopes she doesn't regret not killing him…

Melinda sighs dislocating her thumbs in order to slip her fingers from the handcuffs. Too easy. She runs down the stairs moving to retrieve the gun. The semi-automatic is heavy in her hands. She hadn't fired one since training Daisy back at The Hub… Oh well. Melinda pops her neck scaling the stairs. Sirens blare through the lab indicating an intruder. It was like being back at The Hive's camp all over again. Her vision was red as she fires into confused soldiers. She doesn't even give them a chance as she empties her gun before taking another off one of the bodies.

Corpses litter the hallways as she bursts onto the fifth floor. She needs to get to Daisy quickly. Before she's too late.

"Hey! You can't be in here!" A doctor shouts as she kicks the door open. She unloads her bullets into each of them letting out a pained shout as she spies Daisy lying still and pale on the cold metal operating table. Pain bursts in her knee as a shot separate from hers goes off. She spins around finding a woman with chopped bangs standing in the door. Melinda doesn't even hesitate as she turns her gun on the woman. The gun clicks empty as she pulls the trigger again. She throws it aside ripping the pistol from the woman's pale fingers.

Melinda limps over to the operating table disconnecting Daisy from the machines monitoring her. She could feel her pulse steadily against her fingers. The bear soothes her into a calm as she brushes the girl's short locks back out of her face.

"It's going to be okay Daisy. I've got you now." She whispers. "I'm not going to let anyone hurt you." She picks her up carefully cradling the smaller girl in her arms. She steps over the bodies being as careful as she can not to jostle Daisy as she makes her way to the ground floor. She follows the degenerating signs the best she can finally stumbling onto a parking garage. She looks around before rushing up to the nearest car.

Melinda fires a bullet into the window so she can reach inside. She swings the back door open laying Daisy down carefully in the back. She shrugs her jacket off laying it over the shaking girl. She climbs into the driver's seat fiddling with the wires. A broken sob leaves her lips as the engine purrs to life.

"Melinda!" She climbs out of the car quickly pointing her gun at the door. Two bullets take out the guards on either side of Andrew. "This isn't the answer! You need to think logically. What would Daisy want?"

"She's just a girl Andrew."

"So was Katya."

"Daisy is innocent!"

"Just think this through Melinda." He holds his hands out. "You can still walk away from this. Just give me the girl."

"You think I can walk away from this?" Melinda laughs. "Haven't you been watching the news? Melinda May wanted for treason against the country. I've pissed off Hive, Hydra, now SHIELD. I'm a dead girl walking. I get Daisy somewhere safe and I'm gone anyways."

"I can protect me."

"I don't want your protection." She spits back at him.

"I wish Coulson hadn't sacrificed himself." He speaks softly taking a step closer to her.

"How did you know that?" She snaps.

"Do you really think he would've gone out any other way?" The soft chuckle shatters her heart all over again. "I wish I'd found you before all of this went down. I wish I could've been here throughout your journey. They convinced you life is war." Andrew places his hands on her shoulders. "Please come with me."

"I wish I had more bullets." She seethes.

"I can save you Melinda. Just give me the girl." He takes her face in his hands forcing her to look into his eyes. His thumb swipes away the angry tears sliding down her left cheek. "I've got you Melinda."

"I don't need to be saved." The two shots echo deafeningly through the garage. Andrew's body falls to the ground, fingers clutching the wound in his stomach. Crimson spills onto the concrete making her stomach churn. Daisy groans twisting in the back seat. It's enough to remind her of what she's doing. She aims the gun at his head lips twitching.

"No wait!" Andrew cries. "Let me live. I'll let you go. I won't come after you. Please Lin just listen to me." Tears burn down her cheeks as she stares down at the man she had once loved. "Melinda please I'll let you go I swear." She cocks the gun setting her jaw.

"You'll only come after her."

 _BANG._


	13. Chapter 13

**This is it guys! Thank you guys so much for reading and I really hope you stick around for more of my stories. Really hope you enjoyed the story!**

The drive back felt like it took an eternity. It might as well have. Daisy was still unconscious in the back seat and she wasn't faring well herself. Her mind was begging for rest but she kept driving nonetheless, apprehensively checking the back seat every ten minutes or so to assure herself that Daisy's still there. She's alive…

Finally she pulls up to a large familiar looking gate. She climbs out of the car nearly tripping over her own feet. She takes into consideration for a moment that she might still have lasting effects from the fights she's endured, or maybe the fact that she was unconscious for a solid weak recovering from the wound in her abdomen. Slowly she gathers Daisy into her arms stumbling to the door. Next thing she knows the gates are swinging open. People are shouting, Lincoln is taking Daisy gently from her arms assuring her that he's got her, Maria is rushing to her side gripping her by the elbow. Her knees give out first as faces blur together. She's just exhausted. She wants nothing more than to sleep.

"Melinda!" Maria's scream is the last thing she hears before she closes her eyes.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 _A giggle fills her ears, something she hadn't heard in oh so long. She spies the blonde braids first, small legs kicking back and forth on the swing. Bobbi's wide smile is evident even from the distance she was at._

" _Lin…" Her head snaps around to Phil. He was dressed in a simple t-shirt with a red, white and blue shield on it. It was a far stretch from the last time she'd seen him in tattered blood stained clothes._

" _Phil." She breathes. She reaches out slowly afraid he'll disappear if she even dares to touch him. He takes her hand in his gently pressing it to the side of his cheek. Her thumb strokes lightly over the slight stubble adorning his cheeks. "You're real." She whispers as a tear slides down her cheek._

" _You need to go." He whispers._

" _No." She shakes her head in disbelief. "I just got you back and Bobbi." Another figure materializes behind Bobbi. A brunette little boy pushing her, his head thrown back in laughter. "God I never thought I'd be happy to see Hunter." She laughs._

" _Lin please listen to me."_

 _Another group of chattering fills her ears. Across the playground is a couple sitting on a bench, the young man's arm thrown across the woman's shoulders. Jemma lays her head onto Fitz's shoulder smiling as her fellow scientist munches on a sandwich. They looked so peaceful. Her heart nearly breaks at the circumstances they were put in._

" _Lin you have to go."_

" _I can't."_

" _Let the girl go Melinda." He whispers familiarly pressing his lips to her forehead. "Let the girl go…"_

Melinda blinks awake slowly on a cot in a private room. She makes out two shapes, the first sitting by her bedside and the other flitting around the room anxiously studying machines that beeped loudly in the quiet filling her with a steady thrum of anxiety.

"Melinda thank god." Maria's voice breaks through the fog as she lays her head onto her chest, warm hands clasping hers.

"The hell." She croaks. Without a word Lincoln, whose face materializes in the dark with a few steady blinks, is holding out a paper cup. She takes it with an appreciative nod greedily gulping down it's contents.

"You flatlined." Maria's shoulders shake with the words.

"Twice." Lincoln adds. "Your adrenaline spiked causing a heart attack. It was a miracle you even made it here."

"I died…" Melinda mutters in disbelief.

"Yeah and you scared the hell out of me." Maria snarks, her eyes are red rimmed and her cheeks are blotchy. She'd been crying… a lot it seems.

"Where's Da-"

"Safe and awake." Lincoln answers quickly. "She's been anxious to see you but luckily Robbie has kept her occupied."

"What happened out there Mel? Did it work? Is Daisy the-"

"I need to be alone with Maria." Melinda demands, eyes trained on Lincoln. He freezes as if he's been caught in headlights before obediently leaving without protest. If she's being honest she didn't expect many people to go up against her signature glare. Very few people gathered the courage to.

"What's wrong Mel?"

"Andrew's dead." The words are heavy in her mouth. She should be used to it by now. She seemed to carry death with her wherever she went. Nobody was safe around her.

"Oh no… I'm so so-"

"I killed him." The words snap her mouth shut. "He was going to kill Daisy I didn't have a choice."

"Wait what?"

"The cure was growths in her brain. They were going to kill her Maria…" Bile fills her throat burning up her esophagus. "They didn't even know if it would work. They said they needed to do tests after she was already dead. I couldn't let that happen. I couldn't let him take her."

"Does Daisy know?" She asks.

"No." Melinda sighs. "She can't either."

"Why the hell not?"

"Because she would've gone through with it." Melinda shakes her head. "She's just like Phil."

A steady silence fills the room threatening to swallow her alive. She almost wishes that they had let her die. It would've been easier for everyone…

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Mel!" Daisy's body hits her at full force as soon as she spots her. She brushes back the girls hair softly, silently wondering when she'd managed to grow taller than her. "Thank God you're okay."

"Relatively speaking." She manages to joke before turning to Piper. "Can I get a moment with Daisy?"

"Yes ma'am." The younger girl nods.

"It's May."

"I can do May." Melinda raises her eyebrow slightly. The girl seems to catch her own double entendre before stuttering out. "I mean- Yes May." Piper skitters away quickly, head hung.

"I think she likes you." Daisy teases. "What'd you want to talk about?"

"The cure."

"It didn't work did it." Daisy frowns. "I mean I guess that's why we're here huh?"

"I'm sorry." May sighs.

"I just." Daisy sighs sinking onto the bench behind them. They gaze out across the courtyard watching people just enjoying their lives. "It was stupid to think I was special huh? Thought I could be a hero."

"You are." Melinda protests.

"No. I'm just some kid who carries death around with her every turn. My parents, Elena, Phil, Fitzsimmons, now I hear Andrew is gone too?"

"I know." Melinda whispers taking her hand softly.

"Sometimes I wonder what it'd be like if I'd died along side Elena." A heavy silence slips over the two of them. "You can't protest. I know you think the same for Bobbi and Coulson."

"Tell me about her."

"Elena?" May nods slowly. "She was… great. Quick witted, snarky as hell… Liked making fun of me when I didn't know what she was saying in Spanish. I quickly learned what puta means let's just say that." She chuckles softly. "She was quick as hell. The chick could probably out race a horse if she'd tried hard enough." She takes a shuddering breath trying to remember her as best as she could. "She was my best friend… The first person I loved." Daisy rolls her eyes at herself. "God I sound like those cheap romance novels." Yet she still continued. "She had a shit ton of faith. She always wore this necklace shaped like a cross." Daisy pulls a small rusted chain from beneath her shirt. The gold glittered in the fading light of day. The cross the only thing that seemed to be unmarred by time. "She put it in my hand after we were bit and you know what she said to me?"

"What?"

"Let's go out like fucking Romeo and Juliet." Daisy shakes her head as her shoulders begin to tremble. "God it was the cheesiest fucking thing I've ever heard but it was the last thing I ever heard her say…"

"Daisy I'm sorry…"

"Why? You lost the same person. Don't even try to deny to me that it wasn't the same for you and Coulson."

"It was."

"Maybe some people are meant to be alone."

"You'll come to terms with surviving eventually."

"You don't know that. I could hear you scream their names every night."

"Yet I still get up every day and I fight. You will too you just need to-"

"Swear to me." Daisy snaps turning to face her. Melinda sets her jaw at the sudden interruption. "Swear to me that you told me the truth. That there's no cure. That SHIELD, Andrew, all of them were wrong. Look me in the eyes." Daisy's eyes redden once more. Lies clog the back of Melinda's throat. Either way she'd never forgive her. She'd look at her knowingly for the rest of their lives. God she'd probably even hate her…

"I swear."


End file.
